Volatile
by kataract52
Summary: Terrigenesis has been unleashed on the mutant population, killing some while empowering others. While Rogue swings between both outcomes, those who love her race for a solution. But when the stakes are higher than anyone imagined, can loyalties hold together? Or will they come apart at the seams?
1. Legitimately Dangerous

**Author's Notes:** This is a continuation of my earlier stories "Vicarious" and "Veritas Temporis Filia", although this will still make sense if you haven't read those. Some of the characters used haven't been seen for some time. Hopefully they'll turn up soon, but whether or not they do, I won't alter my story to fit their cannon story lines. M-Pox is something else Marvel through out there and then ignored until Civil War II - which is currently on-going. Again, I won't alter my story to fit theirs. Enjoy!

* * *

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."  
-JK Rowling

 **Chapter One: Legitimately Dangerous**

 _San Pedro, Belize_

Palm trees. White sand. Blue crystal water. Tourists flocked here with umbrella-topped cocktails, but it wasn't the sort of place you'd expect to find the King of Thieves and Deputy Director of SHEILD.

"Everyone needs a vacation, I suppose," said Maria Hill.

Remy peaked an eye open and caught a glimpse of her white bikini. A translucent wrap-around skirt clung to her hips and a pair of over-sized sunglasses pinched her cleavage. Her boyishly short hair tussled in the breeze, but her annoyance was clearly directed at him.

"Sit down," he said. "You're blockin' the sun."

She straddled him. His red-on-black eyes popped open in alarm, although since he lay on his stomach, the position wasn't as compromising as it _might_ have been. Calmly, she poured sunscreen into her hands and began rubbing his back.

"Hey now," he smiled, "Here's a mission I can support."

"Skin cancer's a real danger. We all have to do our part." She gripped his shoulders, leaned over and whispered in his ear, "And we _are_. I know you're frustrated by a lack of progress, but science is methodical and tedious and doesn't lend itself to sweeping changes."

"No idea what you're talkin' about."

" _Rogue_ ," she growled and sat up. Her fingers moved to his arms. "That woman's one of the finest examples of heroism I've ever known. It's an _honor_ to work with her. But you believe I authorized her illness and now stand idly by while she suffers."

"If that was true, we wouldn't be havin' this _pleasant_ conversation and you know it. Why're you tryin' a ruin a perfectly good day?"

"Then who's been stirring up the media? Who's been leaking the stories about Unit XP?"

"Don't blame _me_ for a few bloodhounds."

"Who drew conclusions between Dr. Ishii and the T-Bomb? This isn't the Watergate era anymore. Those sheep say _exactly_ what they're _told_ to say, so _who_ told them that?"

"Ask them."

"Roll over."

He paused. "I can get the front, thanks."

"How'd you get here, Gambit?"

"Y' mean _literally_ or _figuratively_?"

"Unregistered teleportation devices are illegal. Technically, that's my jurisdiction."

"Wanna arrest me on a _technicality_?"

"I've always thought we had a good relationship. Benevolent. Reliable. Mutually beneficial. But if you've gotten spoiled by the carrot, I've got the _stick_ , too." She pinched the flesh under his arm and twisted. Before he could react, she stood and left.

It was a clear warning. Probably the only one he'd get. And it was enough to make him second-guess his plans for the night, but he decided to follow through. If Hill _really_ wanted to stop him, she would've arrested him when she had the chance. If she had set a trap – well, that was foolish. There wasn't a fortress or prison in the world that could hold him. Besides, he might not get another chance. Whatever consequences arose from this heist were worth the gain.

 _Rogue_.

The love of his life had been inflicted with the M-Pox – and just when they'd finally found each other. One of the "lucky" ones, she retained her power, gained strength to the point of invincibility, and unlike so many others, was still alive. But there were negative side effects, too: sterility, rashes, and random spells of breathlessness and fatigue. She got irritable with herself and with him: urged her body to "die already if Ah'm gonna!"

It was like a knife struck his heart every time she said it. Then he considered the alternative: she would never age or weaken. One day he'd skydive without a parachute (or do something equally stupid) and she'd be left without him. There would be no child to embody their love eternally. They wouldn't grow old together. Bizarrely, he both wanted and didn't want these things, but damnit, he wanted her to have a choice! Didn't she _deserve_ that?

The Terrigen Mists negatively impacted mutants, but the chief component had come from an alien planet that _knew_ the effects were unstable. Likewise, they had a temporary antidote. So where was a _cure_? Someone, somewhere had a cure – he was _sure_ of it. But there wasn't money to be made in _curing_ illnesses. And no one marched for mutants. So governments and pharmaceutical companies kept creating viruses, infecting mutants, and selling them weak medicines to prolong their suffering.

That all changed _tonight_. The species inadvertently responsible for unleashing the Terrigen Mist was sending a permanent antidote. If the public knew, they'd mob the station, so it was kept top-secret. The governments would demand years of trials. Meanwhile, the mutant genocide would march on, and eventually, the cure would be deemed too risky, too unreliable. It would be buried.

Maybe he couldn't save the world, but he could save _her_. He had to.

San Pedro suffered a terrible thunderstorm that night. Ideal conditions, really. If anyone heard an odd noise or saw a strange light, it could be easily explained away. The rain also washed away his tracks.

He knew security would be tightest at the exchange, so he didn't strike there. Instead, he waited along the train track where he knew the antidote would travel. Two decoys would be sent in eighteen-wheelers, and since they were decoys, they'd have all the security. The train had only armed guards aboard. A helicopter was on stand-by, but by the time he struck, would be twelve minutes away. With a teleporter, he'd be gone in seconds.

Then what?

Rogue would never willingly take the vial. If she knew what it was and how he'd gotten it, she'd turn _him_ in with the medicine! Should he lie? Or sneak it into her drink? The idea turned his stomach. Of course she was entitled to informed consent, but why couldn't she consent to what _he_ wanted?

' _One hurdle at a time, LeBeau,'_ he told himself.

23:10. Train was due at target location in eight minutes when he overheard an SOS. Someone had attacked one of the trucks. Magneto by the description. Good, let the helicopter chase _him_ down and leave Gambit alone with his prize. With thirty seconds to spare, he teleported to his location. In the dark, he groped for the train tracks with plasma blasts firing in his direction. Yes, Hill had been ready for him. He charged the tracks and then sprinted towards the gunfire. Metal-on-metal screamed as the train slammed on brakes, and when it finally struck his active charge, the whole world was engulfed in deafening explosion. Agents rained on him, firing almost blindly. He made quick work of them, moving steadily towards his prize.

Cart number three carried a safe welded to the floor. He leapt inside to see a woman straddling the already opened safe. She was dressed in solid black – same as him – and her vivid red hair and cat-like green eyes seemed to float like the Cheshire Cat. She smiled, slipped the container into a pouch on her belt, and dashed off. He followed, flipping over debris quickly to gain ground. It worked. He tackled her and then teleported to his safe house in New Orleans.

She kicked him as he threw a handful of charged playing cards. Bits of furniture and wood disoriented her, and the direction she blindly ran came up short at the wall. He tackled her, gripped her belt, and roughly tore it off. Struggling, she managed to unsheathe a knife hidden at her elbow. He pulled away just in time for her blade to nick his turtle-neck. Then he teleported to New York.

* * *

"Saline," said the Guild chemist. "Nothing more than _saline_."

Roaring, Remy punched the wall. Hill had played him for a fool. Had his intelligence been wrong? No, he was sure the train had been carrying the antidote. Either she'd moved it… Or that red-head had been a distraction he'd fallen hook-line-and-sinker.

"Fuckin' rookie," he cursed himself. "Never even _looked_ in that goddamn safe!"

Alias, one of his field agents, said: "We knew it was risky striking in transit. We'll find the lab that's holding it. Infiltrate. Extract. Piece of cake."

"Back t' square one," he lamented.

There was a pause before Seven said, "Is it possible she _wasn't_ planted? What if she switched containers?"

"Then she's _sold_ it," Alias answered. "To someone with _more_ money and _less_ rules."

"No," Gambit said quietly. "She hasn't. Not yet."

"No one _with_ money wants to _spend_ money saving mutant lives," said Seven.

"She loved the chase," Gambit quietly, almost spoke to himself. "She's tryin' t' make a name for herself… Seven, find out who's comin' up. White female with green eyes and red hair. Should narrow the field. Alias, get me some black-market M-Pox cures. One of them just might be legit."

"More saline, comin' up."

* * *

 _Ithaca, New York_

"Clear!"

The brick wall exploded and before the smoke cleared, Avengers filled the room. The dust settled. Then, a small boy operating a mobile robotic suit gingerly entered. At Rogue's signal, they proceeded to the next room, which was more clustered.

"Keep behind me, Samuel," Captain America told the boy.

Their weapons were harmless toys and the villains were paper targets, but he shook with excitement just the same. Everything _looked_ legitimately dangerous.

" _Pew! Pew-pew!_ " Deadpool leapt, shooting wildly with his hands instead of real guns. "Oh no!" He grabbed his throat. "They've telepathically taken control of me! Go! Save… _yourselves_!"

Cable smiled. "Here's the chance we've been waiting for, boys."

They circled around his limp body and fired their laser toy-guns.

"Fools!" he jumped to his feet. "Your bullets are no match for me!"

"I've got this!" Sam cried.

Deadpool spread his arms. "Come at me, bruh!"

Sam charged, gripped the red-clad superhero, and threw him bodily on the ground. The room shook from the impact.

" _Wade!_ " gasped Rogue. "You alright?"

He gave a thumbs-up and they congratulated Sam on saving the day.

A camera man emerged from his safety spot. "Think we've got enough footage. I'll move on to interviews whenever you guys are ready."

Outside, he interviewed Sam's guardian, Raven. She looked exactly like Rogue and had her abilities of flight, super strength, and invulnerability. Everyone knew she'd come from another dimension, but instead of hiding, she embraced her shared identity and patiently made her own path.

"Our program's called 'Healing Hands'," Raven told the camera. "It gives kids like Samuel a chance to connect with their passion. We believe _hope_ and _optimism_ are as vital as _medicine_ to recovery."

"Can anyone join?"

"We're trying to raise awareness for disadvantaged youths. So if anyone has a candidate, they can go to our website at –" she looked away and then back to the camera. "Sorry."

"We can edit that. Keep going."

"They can go to our website and – excuse me." She walked away. Perfect timing, really. The Avengers were ready for their promo photos and (unlike Raven) wouldn't suffer second takes. "Marie! What have I told you about talking to strangers?"

Marie was thirteen-years-old with all the impatience and misery of a little devil. With dark hair, olive skin, and ram horns, she was the dark side to Sam's fair, frail moon. A _real_ devil stood at her side as she sneered at Raven.

"Don't _pretend_ like you care." Marie said.

"Check your attitude, miss, or I'll check it for you. Remember what happened _last_ time you went off with a strange man?" She saw Marie blush. "Think I wouldn't embarrass you in front of your new friend? Guess what, I care _less_ about his opinion of me and _more_ about your well-being."

"I hate you!" she roared. "I wish you were dead!"

Marie stormed off and Raven rounded on the man. "Get lost, _Nicholas_."

"Whoa, whoa, that's no way to greet a friend." He gave his best smile but she walked away. He followed. "You haven't returned my calls."

"Seemed like the best way to get my message across, _Nicholas_."

"Please cease the use of that name. You know I despise it."

"It's your _name_ , isn't it? _Nicholas_."

Rogue had spotted them and pulled away from the press conference. She didn't care what they said to each other, but she wanted the headlines to be 'Avengers Make Dream Real For Sick Boy!' not 'Rogue-clone Clobbers Ex at Charity Event!'

Hands on her hips, Raven spat at him: "You endangered my friends!"

"No one got hurt."

"No thanks to _you_!"

"Actually, my contributions played a large part."

"Because Bella Donna _literally_ put a _gun_ to your _head_! You _used_ me to get to Gambit!"

"No, dear, I used you because you're an easy lay." His cheek stung from her reply. "Strike me all you like! You can't beat the truth from my words! Judging from your behavior, I was led to believe _you_ were manipulating _me_. I've been a fool, my dear. Foolish enough to discard your good opinion and foolish enough to mistake my feelings for lust. God, I _wish_ that's all I felt for you."

"Rogue told me about that woman in Rome. Did _she_ fall for that line, too?" she hissed. " _Every word_ you've _ever_ said to me has been a _lie_!"

Rogue took this as her cue. "Guys, let's take a walk."

His eyes flashed. "She didn't tell you _everything_ that happened in Rome."

"It's true," she said quietly. "When Ah absorbed him, Ah saw… A _lot_ Ah can't unsee. Ah saw his heart, too, and what he feels for you is beyond his ability to express. He's terrified. And he's seduced plenty of women tryin' to replace you-"

"You could've _omitted_ that part," he said.

"You wanted _honesty_ , here it is! There's a _million_ ways to express love. Instead, you screwed your way across the globe because that's what _you_ wanted to do. And now you're here, _not_ because she wants you, but because _you_ want _her_." She turned to Raven. "He's dishonest and dishonorable, but he _loves_ you."

Raven lowered her eyes, collected her thoughts, and told him: "Don't call me again."

"Pleasure knowing you," he said as they left together. In the parking lot, he considered slashing the tires of her Dodge Neon. Then he had another idea. He called Maria Hill. "If the proposition still stands, let's talk."

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…


	2. We Have An Issue

"You can have anything you want in the world — once you help everyone around you get what they want."  
–Bob Ross

 **Chapter Two: We Have an Issue**

 _Upper West Side, Manhattan_

"Sweetie's home!" Rogue smiled and hugged Remy's neck. At their feet, the cat trio known as Oliver, Lucifer, and Figaro howled and rubbed his legs.

He hugged her waist, smelled her hair. She was _alive_. As they slid apart, he held her face in his hands and noted every variation. Exhaustion clouded her emerald eyes, and beneath her sweet Cupid's bow mouth, she'd attempted to conceal a nasty breakout. Just a pimple? Or was the disease spreading? Ever since the early days with the X-Men, Rogue's greatest enemy had always been within.

She stroked his cheek. "Shaved your beard."

Beards weren't very comfortable in the summer, and although he'd never admit it, Emma wasn't the only one who worried about tan lines. He moved his hands to the base of her skull, where her chestnut and ivory locks abruptly ended, and remarked: "Cut y' hair."

"Medicine makes it fall out. Ah figure this way, we won't know if it's my hair or yours cloggin' the drain. But without your beard, we're kinda twinsies."

He held her close, knowing her life was literally slipping away.

"Ah missed you, too." She tightened her embrace and then pulled away. "Did your uniform while you were gone. Well. Ah _washed_ your uniform. Wasn't _that_ lonely! Ain't Ah the _ideal_ girlfriend?"

"Hold on – where's dinner? I see three starvin' critters about t' perish."

"You see three lyin' little bastards! Here, Ah took dinner out of the bags and – _hey!_ " She swatted at Figaro for edging his button nose too near the take-out containers. His quick reaction betrayed his faux-aloofness. "Ah'm renamin' him _Cassim_. Worthless scoundrel ain't _never_ caught a mouse or bug, but he'll steal your chicken!"

"Sorry, Figs, you heard the lady."

"Mission completed?" She asked, ripping open a bag of wantons so harshly they nearly spilled.

"Not exactly..."

"Oh, no! Appendix guy didn't _die_ , did he?"

He blanched. Appendix guy? He quickly recalled his cover story: Fence's appendix needed removed, but surgery had been complicated by his cyber modifications. His wife, Darce, had supposedly found him attempting to remove the poisonous organ himself and called Gambit. A doctor had been arranged, but hard-to-acquire tools were required, and since Gambit had an illegal teleporter, he valiantly volunteered.

"'Cause Ah would've felt _terrible_ for trash talkin' him if he'd _died_ ," she rambled.

"No. No, no. He's fine."

She gave him an inquisitive look.

Quick! He needed to distract her! "Since when is Fence 'the appendix guy'?"

"He only calls for _you_ …"

" _Mais_ , you arrest people like 'm."

A frown creased her thick make-up as she idly poked her food with her fork. Since the M-Pox had made her virtually invincible, she was rarely hungry, and usually only ate to keep him company, although it required effort on her part. No one could explain how Terrigenesis was simultaneously feeding her mutant abilities while draining her basic power. Unlike everyone else, who either perished or thrived, she'd fallen into both categories. Remy anxiously watched to see which way the scales would tip.

"No appetite?" he asked.

"Nil came to the charity event today. For Raven… He's in love with her. Ah saw it when Ah absorbed him."

He took a strategic sip. "'Course he is. She's amazing." Another sip.

"Ah know he's a shady sleaze ball, but his feelings are _real_. It was awful watchin' him pour his heart out. She kept _kickin'_ him down."

Inside, he cheered. But he said: "May I remind y' of your own advice?"

"Let her make her own-" She was interrupted by an emergency call. "-decisions. Sorry, sweets, Ah gotta run."

She dashed to change into her uniform, kissed his cheek, and flew off the balcony.

Figaro – now Cassim – cautiously eyed her plate.

"She ain't comin' back, you stinker. Help yourself."

Rogue flew over the gridlocked traffic of Manhattan to Schaefer Theater, where Captain America was waiting. Alone. His body was tense.

"Thanks for coming so quickly," he said. "We have an issue in Ithaca. Ready?"

"Aren't we gonna wait for the others?"

"They won't be joining us." He walked down the vacant hall and she followed. "9-1-1 received a phone call from Raven earlier this evening. She reported Samuel was unresponsive. When emergency services arrived, she refused them entry. All attempts to make contact have failed. Police are reluctant to force entry for the safety of the other child."

"Oh, Raven…" Rogue's heart ached. Samuel was dead; Raven had lost her mind; and now Marie, who'd already suffered too much, was trapped. "Ah'll talk her down."

He nodded briskly.

Less than half an hour later, she was standing outside Raven's rented house with the police. Neighbors crowded around the barricades and silent blue lights. Had they seen Samuel on the news? Did they know how Raven had lovingly built his suit? Or were they only here to satisfy their curious bloodlust?

Rogue used her personal to call Raven. Marie answered. "Hey sweetheart. How are you?"

"I'm okay."

"Is Raven there?"

"Yeah, but she's not talking."

"Is Sam there?"

"Yeah. You wanna talk to him?"

Her heart soared. "He's _alive_?"

"Yeah."

"Ah want you and Sam to come outside. Stay on the phone with me. Got it?"

Aside, she said, "Come on, Samuel… Okay, Rogue, we're coming."

A moment later, Marie appeared in the doorway, holding the hand of Samuel's suit. As they came closer, Rogue noticed Samuel's suit was empty and splattered with blood.

"Honey, this is just his _suit_ ," said Rogue. "Where's Sam?"

"He's _here_. Raven did CPR, but he didn't wake. She said if his brain didn't get oxygen, he'd die. So we put his brain in his suit for safe keeping. Now she's just _standing_ there, staring at nothing."

The suit had no face, no way to speak. Rogue had no way of knowing if his brain was still creating thoughts or merely feeding electrical currents. She left the kids with Captain America. Inside, crimson splattered the walls and smeared the floors. Raven was in the hall near the front door, catatonic. In the living room, Rogue found Samuel's body on the kitchen table. His skull had been sawed open and his brain was missing. Bile kicked up but she held it.

"Ishii…" Raven mumbled. "Ishii showed me…"

"What?" Rogue asked faintly.

Dr. Ishii had been a mad scientist who'd taken hundreds of mutants captive, including Marie and Raven. He wanted to create a _super_ army. After his death, he'd briefly possessed Ray, and although he'd been permanently expelled, his actions left permanent scars – both physical and emotional.

She finally blinked and looked at Rogue. "Did it work?"

…

 _Ithaca_

Rogue declared herself to be Raven's legal representative. Her ward was clearly insane. At the police station, understanding struck, and she screamed hysterically until a telepath sedated her. There were no other options. Her invincibility protected her from routine medical treatments. Eventually, she awoke, and her version of events matched Marie's.

"I was _desperate_ ," she told police.

"Why didn't you listen to the dispatcher and perform CPR until the paramedics arrived?"

"He was _dead_."

"Are you a doctor?"

"Stop badgering her," Rogue snapped. "She's his _guardian_. Closest thing he's ever had to a mother. You know damn well she didn't kill him."

The door opened and a man said, "Of course she didn't. The fine folks of the NYPD are simply out of their league."

" _Hank?_ " Rogue was shocked to see her old comrade, Dr. Hank McCoy, the former X-Man known as 'Beast'. Last she'd heard he'd fallen out with Storm and left the school, but what he'd done or where he'd gone were mysteries.

He briefly acknowledged her and then told the detective: "Thank you for your contributions, but this matter falls into SHIELD jurisdictions." The officer begrudgingly shook his hand. "Might I borrow your room for a few moments to converse with Miss LeBeau?"

"Be out in ten."

He nodded. "Rogue, would you mind?"

"Ah ain't leavin' unless she tells me to."

He leaned against the table and covered Raven's hand with his massive blue hand. "Rest assured, Raven, Samuel is alive and well. You acted bravely and decisively. These… _men_ … they're too _simple_ to understand what you've done. Don't allow them to brand you a monster. You are _brilliant_!"

She sat up and focused on him.

"Perhaps you've only seen the aspect of SHIELD that Rogue specializes," he continued. "While it's _true_ the department is famous for its _flamboyant reactionary offense nonesuch teams_ , it actually covers a wide range of services."

"Ah like that," Rogue said. "FRONT. We should trademark it."

He smiled. "I oversee an experimental research department, and your mastery of molecular and mechanical engineering would greatly contribute to our organization. Are you interested?"

Raven gathered her thoughts. "Samuel's my biggest priority."

"I understand. We can modify the suit to give him back his sense of smell, sight and speech. Why, my dear, he need never expire. Consider _that_! You may have created an _immortal being_."

…

 _Upper West Side_

Dawn crowned in soft blush and vibrant lavender. Like so many people of Manhattan, Remy had been awake all night. He hadn't expected Rogue back so soon, and was startled to hear the door unlock. The cats, too, perked up in alarm. Then he smiled, set his work aside, and offered to start a pot of coffee.

"Might as well," she sighed. "We need to talk."

"You're startin' too many conversations that way."

She glanced at his laptop. "Taylor?"

Frozen on the screen was the face of the woman he'd tangoed with in San Pedro. She'd been spotted in Central America, but every detail about her life crumbled under scrutiny. The Thieves knew nothing about her… Until this blessed love of his life carelessly uttered a name.

"Y' know her?" he asked while casually making coffee.

"Ah know lots of people. What're you doin' with her _picture_?"

"My Southern cousins are sittin' in a harbor waitin' for a ship t' come in."

She rolled her eyes. "Better tell 'em to move along."

So SHIELD Agent Taylor, planted to mislead him, was still operating in the field.

"She's walkin' out of a Starbucks," she noticed. "They plannin' to rob a _coffee house_?"

"What'd you wanna talk about?" He brought her a mug.

She'd been haunting the park all night, unsure of how to tell him what had transpired. What the hell _had_ happened? Suddenly, it all rushed back: Samuel's empty body, Raven's blank stare, Marie sitting silently with Captain America… And she was breathless. She inhaled deeply, but couldn't catch her breath. She heard Remy ask if she was alright, but was too weak to answer. He helped her lie on the sofa. Through blurry and bright ripples, she saw her arms completely covered in boils. Her face – was it covered, too? Wade's hideous face flashed before her eyes, his disgusting head wearing her thin hair. She tried to shield her face from his view, but her chest felt like an elephant had fallen on her. White-hot pin-pricks crept into her eyes and filled her body. Gasping for air, the room faded to black.

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…

 **Author's Notes:** I'd like to take a moment to discuss the quotes provided before each chapter. Usually I use song lyrics that inspired me during writing, but this time I've decided to use quotes from optimistic visionaries who've personally inspired me. I went with quotes I've either heard or read myself – too lazy to verify "quote of the day" memes. That'll be a reoccurring theme here… "Inspirational optimists", not laziness. I hope.


	3. Opportunity

"Holy smokes! That was too close. Let's follow 'em!"  
-Steve Irwin

 **Chapter Three: Opportunity**

 _Upper West Side_

Slow suffocation. Every night, Rogue went to bed hoping to be cured in the morning. Every morning, she woke up gasping for air. During the day, she had no energy or appetite, and her "spells" were getting worse. Numbness, dizziness, loss of vision, chest pain… It got so bad that she had to take an absence from work, which added depression to her list of symptoms. The doctors were lost. She tried to hide the severity from Remy, but she'd never been able to lie to him. If she knew the truth, he'd read it on her. This time was no different.

"Gimme your phone," he said. "I'm callin' Hill."

"Why?"

"Because she's got the damn _cure_! If she ain't gonna share, she should know how much you're sufferin'."

"Remy, we've _been_ through this. _No one_ has a cure! Calm down, Ah'm fine."

He wheezed dramatically a few times. "That ain't 'fine'!"

She shoved him away. " _Get out!_ Go to work! Isn't that what you do when Ah fall apart – go make a _bigger_ mess?"

He flinched at the twisted truth thrown at him so carelessly. While it was true that he'd always done whatever needed to be done to save her life, this time – he couldn't. The cure was in Hill's hands. So he stayed by her side, waiting for Hill to either drop her guard or grow a conscious. Apparently, he looked as fucking helpless as he felt, and the impulse to sell his soul blinded him to the consequences. What wouldn't he give for her life? Where was the justice in her early death while a cretin like him lived?

"Ah'm sorry, Remy, just – don't do anything stupid."

She laid on the couch and he sat on the floor beside her.

"It's stress," he said at length. "Traffic, work, the noise… City's no good. Why don't we stay with Raven for a while? She could use some help with the kids, anyway."

It was very Victorian – fleeing to the country for one's health. They were _really_ fleeing from themselves and all the fights in their apartment. Cat trio in tow, Remy and Rogue crashed in Sam's room. Pale yellow walls lined with blue paper airplanes spoke of a boy who was no more. The smell of rubbing alcohol and menthol was fading, replaced by WD-40 and burnt electrical wires. His single-sized mattress still wore blue bedsheets, although he no longer required a bed or even sleep.

A six-foot, patch-work robot entered and said, "For you, sir."

"Thank you, sir," Remy replied. He took the air mattress.

"I can get it."

"You don't-"

" _Please_ ," said Raven, entering with sheets rolled in her arms. "He _likes_ to be _helpful_."

The robot, which now contained the last of Samuel's functioning organs and therefore his thoughts, pressed a finger against the air valve. In a flash, it inflated. He stood, clearly pleased with himself, although Rogue wasn't sure how she knew. He had no face to form expressions, only a steep, reflective windshield constantly scanning for visual and audio input.

If her body failed, she wouldn't want to wake up in a machine. It sounded horrible. But then, Samuel's body had never been like Rogue's. Perhaps he felt empowered now.

As if reading her mind, he gestured her to his old bed. "We washed the sheets especially for you. Want to lay down?"

"Ah'm fine," she said reflexively.

"No, you're not," he said. "It's okay to stop lying. Raven and I had the _best_ conversations when I told her how I _really_ felt. That was much better. You'll see."

"Time for homework," said Raven. "You mind helping Marie with her math?"

Samuel lived to be ten while Marie was three years older, but his academic skills eclipsed hers.

After he left, Rogue said, "Think Ah _will_ catch a nap. Wake me for dinner."

Raven took the opportunity to get Remy alone. She'd blown into his life on the debris of her annihilated world from another time and dimension. He'd sheltered her until she found the strength to carry on alone. Now that she had a job and house, foster kids and school – and he had Rogue to share everything with – they weren't as close as they'd once been. But this felt like _more_ than unintentional neglect. Rogue's illness made him fretful. He was lying to everyone about everything; she felt it the way a sailor feels a storm brewing over the horizon.

So while the kids were doing homework and Rogue was napping, they walked around the middle-class suburb with its neat yards and friendly residents.

"What ain't y' tellin' me?" he asked.

She laughed. "I could ask you the same."

He waited. If he wanted to see her hand first, she was fine with that.

"Sam – Cannonball-Sam, not _my_ Sam… Had a baby with some girl he met on Mars. They named him Josiah."

Again, he waited.

"I'm happy for him. He'll be a great dad. And it sounds like he's really in love with her, so… Your turn. What are you doing that you _shouldn't_ be?"

"Tryin' t' save my girlfriend's life."

"Did she-"

He noticed a flash in his peripheral vision and automatically pushed her down. A burning round clipped his bicep. Instinctively, he dashed in the direction of the shooter, but no more shots came. Raven screamed after him, but didn't follow. He didn't wonder why – there was no time. He saw a woman dive out of a vacant house window and sprint towards a jeep parked in the street. Racing, he managed to leap on before she punched the gas. She reached for a weapon but he was faster and gripped her neck in his arms. The vehicle swerved until it flipped over.

They were both thrown, but he held tight to her miserable head of red hair.

"A _real_ assassin would've fired again," he said, struggling to subdue her. "Innocents be damned. Didn't SHIELD teach you _anything_?"

She threw her elbow against his ribs repeatedly, but couldn't shake him. By now, she was turning purple.

He grabbed her hair and charged it. "I can let this blow or take it back. One chance. What the hell you doin' here?"

When he relaxed his arm around her throat, she gasped and coughed. Her scalp tingled dangerously. She felt him tense again and sputtered: "Risking my life!"

"No shit."

"Check my weapon. It's loaded with a specialty caliber designed to take out mutants like Raven. I could've killed you both. I _didn't_."

"Then why fire?"

"To _provoke_ you. So that when I'm court-marshalled, I can say I acted under duress."

By now, neighbors had crowded around with their phones. They made a quick getaway in his car; she drove and he kept her 'special caliber' pointed at her back.

"When I was brand new to the force," she said, "I was assigned to assist Agent Denti against the Mutant Liberation Front. Maybe you don't recall, but we got our asses handed to us. Rogue did _more_ than save my life; she covered my ass. Saved my career. I owe that woman everything."

"Then why'd you steal her only hope of a cure?"

"That train was as _empty_ as the decoy trucks. I _knew_ if you saw my face you'd figure it out… eventually."

He laughed dryly. "And do what? Attack an agent of SHIELD? Not a fight I _want_ , femme."

She looked crossly at him. "It's a fight you've _got_ , **homme**. They'll never give it up. You can watch her slowly deteriorate and die, or fight for her life. There's _no_ in-between." She checked her watch. "I'm due to check in soon. We've got to strike before they realize I'm missing."

* * *

After the shot rang and Raven was pushed aside, her first priority was securing the kids. They didn't know what had happened. She was about to wake Rogue, leave them with her, and follow Gambit, when she heard the back door slam.

"Stay in your rooms!" she shouted, rushing to meet the intruder.

Nil entered, and for a moment, words escaped her. He couldn't meet her eyes. Then, he placed a small box on the counter.

"I did something **truly** imprudent. I can't adequately... I'll fix it. And then I'll never darken your doorstep again."

She went cold. "Where's Gambit?"

* * *

Agent Taylor drove to the nearest gas station and parked.

"Have your 'porter?" she asked. "We've got nine minutes to get to Long Island."

"How'd you plan to get there?"

" _With your teleporter_ ," she growled.

"Seem t' be relyin' on me for a lot. Let's say I don't have it. Now what?"

" _Covering my tracks_. Eight minutes."

"Where is it?"

"You're not going without me. I've got _no_ guarantee you won't pinch everything that glows, and when they uncover the leak, my story's gonna be _air-tight_."

"Don't sound too concerned about _Rogue_."

"And Hill _does_? Seven. We've still got to get to lab and extract the product. There's no time for this!"

The warning alarms in his mind screamed, but Rogue was getting worse and he was _desperate_ to save her life. Worst case scenario didn't involve prison. It included a graveyard. And Hill – whatever weapons she had – wouldn't kill him. Rogue's nemesis would.

He teleported Agent Taylor to the base on Long Island and followed her inside. She waved her security pass and no one paid him much attention.

"I have clearance to level 4. The lab's on level 6."

"How're we gonna get there?"

"I leave that to you. Isn't that your area of _expertise_?" They got into an elevator and after the doors shut, she continued: "We'll get off at 4. Go to the end of the hall. There are two armed guards but the door will be unlocked. Go through the door and up two flights of stairs."

A robotic female voice declared each floor as they passed: _'First floor… Second floor…'_

"What am I lookin' for? What's my exit strategy?"

The elevator prematurely ground to a halt and the robotic announcer said: _'Gambit. It's a trap. Evacuate.'_ With a tremor, the elevator proceeded and the doors opened. _'Fourth floor… There is no cure. Get out. Raven.'_

Taylor said nothing and he didn't trust himself to speak. Armed guards waited at the end of the hall. In his heart, he _desperately_ wanted to believe he could overpower them, solve the puzzle, and escape with the cure Rogue needed… but he knew better. There was nothing behind that door. Just like there'd been nothing on the train. This was a trap, he'd known it from the start, but he'd gone along hoping he could somehow _outsmart_ them. Didn't matter what he stole or who got hurt, the end result was still the same: Rogue was dying.

Agent Taylor stepped out, turned, and said: "We're running out of time."

The elevator doors shut with him inside.

* * *

"Okay," Rogue said. "Who wants to start?"

Remy and Raven sat at the kitchen table, looking like a couple of kids who'd gotten caught in the cookie jar. He couldn't tell her the truth. This was the exact situation she'd been worried about: exactly what he promised would _never_ happen. SHIELD and the Guild had drawn lines and _she_ was in the middle. But his brain wouldn't fabricate a plausible alibi. He'd finally opened his mouth when Raven spoke.

"It started the night Samuel died. My… _solution_ … impressed a lot of people. SHIELD asked me to help with a top-secret mission that could save the mutant race."

His ears perked up and Rogue visibly relaxed. She'd been poised for a fight between Gambit and Hill. Never had she imaged that _Raven_ had gotten in trouble…

"The M-Pox problem is multi-fold," she continued. " _We've_ been contaminated, but so has our planet. The only option left is to re-locate. Once every mutant's been quarantined and cured, then the earth can be purified."

"Not that many of us left," Rogue said. "Pretty sure we could all fit in one Shi'ar ship."

"For how long?" she countered. " _Indefinitely_? Because the purification might _not_ work. And for all the 'send-m-back' rhetoric, no government's going to round up mutants and blast us into space. What we need is an uninhabited planet that can support life…"

"Unbelievable," he muttered. "You have any idea how long we've been fightin' t' live in peace? And you're helpin' t' _force_ us out?"

"Mutants won't be the only ones going. We won't even make the majority. That's not feasible. We're going for energy resources and space exploration and species security, too. Look, _my_ world was targeted for genocide. If we'd had other planets to flee to, maybe my family would still be alive. But they're _not_. The FRONT failed because the _real_ wars are waged in the dark."

"Let's shelve that debate," said Rogue. "How's this end with you gettin' shot in the street? _Remy_?"

Both women turned expectantly towards him. They knew he'd chased down the villain. _Anti-mutant terrorist_. It sat on the tip of his tongue, ready to spin into the most believable explanation. Obviously, that's what _Raven_ believed: someone was trying to stop her work by killing her, although her messages revealed that she already knew too much. However, if Hill wanted to trap him, it wouldn't serve his long-term interests to lie to Rogue now.

"A cure landed in Belize couple weeks back," he said. "I, uh – couldn't get my hands on it. Someone beat me to it. Or so I thought. Same someone who took a shot at us. Said she wanted t' help. Took me to a lab, told me what t' do. Then I got Raven's warning and backed out."

Raven's brow lined in confusion. "I didn't warn you. I – _Nil!_ He showed up when you left!"

"Why would he help me?"

' _Because I'd never forgive him if he hurt you,'_ Raven thought, but she had firmly decided to ignore Nil's feelings. She said: "How would he _know_?"

"He must be spyin' on SHIELD," said Rogue.

"Or they _told_ him," he countered. "Hill wouldn't eliminate me without a back-up. He's the perfect replacement."

"But _why_?" Rogue pressed.

"I think he's right, Rogue. Nil showed up _exactly_ when Remy left. Said he'd done something but he was gonna fix it and vanish. If he'd just been _spying_ on SHIELD, he could hide with the Guild. I think… I think he's been spying on _us_."

He felt Rogue's eyes burn into him and flinched when she said: "What'd you do?"

"Told you – went after your cure."

"Ah _told_ you. _There is no cure_."

"Well, there is," Raven said softly. "But it's temporary because the air re-contaminates you."

All his dreams and goals collapsed. There was no mark to steal, no easy fix. He was useless against Rogue's illness. Everyone was.

Rogue patted Raven's hand and said: "Ah don't want you blastin' blind through a black-hole. Ah know you're great at it-"

"I'm more than a _work horse_ , you know. No one there even knows my real identity. Except Dr. McCoy. Everyone else thinks I'm Becca Daumier, engineer genius."

Remy asked more questions about the project, but she wisely avoided providing answers. His confidence wasn't the issue – his _motives_ were. But he really wasn't interested in scoping out her work to later sabotage it. He was buying time to avoid Rogue's confrontation. When he'd exhausted the topic, he turned to the small metallic box on the counter.

"Oh, I'd forgotten all about that," she sighed. "He left it… Don't worry, Rogue. If it was meant to _hurt_ me, he would've stayed to watch. And if it's _bugged_ , he wouldn't have made such a big deal about leaving it."

"Afraid it's a _ring_?" She crossed the room and opened it.

A holographic image, approximately two feet tall and wide, erupted before them. It was monochromatic and grainy. Like a picture from Hogwarts, it moved with life. Remy stood in the ocean surf while a little girl and little boy leapt and kicked at him. Blindfolded, he still avoided the strikes of children who strongly favored Raven.

Rogue snapped it shut and cursed, " _Idiot!_ "

It was too late. Raven wiped away tears and lamented: "I thought he never listened." She held the box close to her heart and carried it to her room.

Alone, Rogue turned and said softly: "Why didn't you tell me the truth? Every time Ah find out you lied, Ah feel like a _fool_ for trustin' you."

"Only tryin' t' protect you."

" _Stop_. You can't keep doin' this. Ah'm sick. Ah might never get better… This ain't what you signed up for."

"What're you sayin'?" He remained braced for an attack she was too weary to launch.

"That no one could blame you for bein' repulsed by-" she motioned to her chest. "- _this!_ We don't know how this works. What if Ah make _you_ sick, too? Besides bein' a threat, Ah can't give you a family."

"You're puttin' the cart before the horse."

"Is that somethin' you _want_?"

"Anna, listen." He closed the distance between them. "I want the same thing I've always wanted. _You_. Whatever we have or don't have is just details. As long as I've got you, I've got everything I need."

She melted in his arms, feeling closer to him than she'd felt in ages. But she felt guilty, too. In addition to being ugly, sick, and infertile, she carried the burden of knowing he loved her more than she loved him. If their situations had been reversed, she wasn't sure she'd stay. Maybe she'd _want_ to, but he was very good at pushing her away when he felt vulnerable. And she was good at letting him take the blame for her actions. She could never repay his devotion, but she knew how she could make his life a little easier.

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…

 **Author's Notes:** Everything Steve Irwin said is quotable. This little gem came from an episode filmed on an island in the South Pacific inhabited by komodo dragons. (Yes, they are absolutely capable of killing a grown man.) One gave Steve an "aggressive greeting". Bleeding, the man barely escapes into a tree, and as the dragon leaves, he decides to follow it. I'm shouting at the TV that he needs to stay in the tree. Doesn't listen to me, of course; never does. It's both terrifying and inspiring. Most of my minor characters are actual comic book characters, like Agent Taylor. Technically, Raven's name _could_ be 'Becca Daumier'. 'Rebecca' being the name her parents gave her, and 'Daumier' being her late husband's last name. She may not _like_ being dishonest, but she's very good at it. The picture Nil created comes from Chris Claremont's 'The End', and it's now the only picture she has of her brother, Oli.


	4. The Unmovable Force

"She had blue skin; and so did he.  
He kept it hid; and so did she.  
They searched for blue their whole lives through.  
Then passed right by – and never knew."  
–'Masks' by Shel Silverstein

 **Chapter Four: The Unmovable Force**

 _Manhattan_

Maria Hill entered her apartment and instantly smelled a rat. Boldly, she turned on the light and found Rogue sitting patiently on her sofa.

"Breaking and entering is a crime. Even for Earth's Mightiest."

"Ah couldn't find a trace of her anywhere. Ah swear, if she's dead, Ah will _end_ you. _Momma_."

Maria melted away to Mystique. "Tell me, dear, did _you_ figure it out or did _he_?"

"Where is she?!" Rogue slammed her against the wall. Mystique didn't struggle; she smiled.

"In stasis. Where she'll _remain_ until I'm finished."

"You're _finished_. Take me to her."

"You seem to be confused on _who_ has _who_ , my darling." She morphed back into Maria. "Go ahead and attack me. Back-up will be here soon. Try to explain yourself. The Ishii incident gave SHIELD a bad aftertaste that they'll forever associate with you. And Gambit hasn't done you any favors."

"Neither one of us wants you trapped in my head, but Ah'll drain your memories if Ah have to."

"Don't make me laugh! You've _never_ been able to consume me. I keep my secrets and you get another ghost in the attic. _Sit_. I'll open a bottle of pinot noir." She slipped away, ignoring the bits of drywall and glass in her hair.

"Ah ain't leavin' without her."

"So _loyal_ to the woman who left your genetic prodigy to die. But none for the woman who gave you a home and raised you as her own?"

"Hill was _brainwashed_! You tried to _disembowel_ me! Ah can't imagine guttin' Raven and she ain't even my youngin'."

" _Try harder_."

Rogue accepted a glass but didn't drink. "Well, your argument worked! Ah _totally_ get you now. Try to recruit me to your cause?"

"Oh, the old 'villain monologue'? No, thank you. I want to hear what's going on in _your_ life." She sat on the sofa and waited expectantly. "How's life among the folk you single-handedly defeated as a teenager? I'm sure they welcomed you with open arms. As a _field leader_ , no less! And how're things with _Raven_ going? You certainly had high expectations for me. But I'm sure you're the superior parent you never had. And I hear you're living with _Remy_ now! He's certainly done very well for himself."

"No thanks to _you_."

She smiled cruelly. "No thanks to you, _either_ , dear. In fact, his career's done nothing but suffer since you took him back. 'A cure, a cure! My kingdom for a cure!' The man's _obsessed_!" She suddenly stopped. "You didn't know..? Rogue, how could you be so _dense_?"

"Catchin' up's been great. Now where's Hill?" The sound of a dozen guards approaching the door preceded Mystique's reply: "Don't worry, they're set to _stun_ , not _kill_." They filled the room and separated the women. "Better go peacefully, Rogue," said 'Hill'. "No one's been hurt and I see no reason for that to change. Go home and get some rest. I'm sure in six months, everything will be normal again. Killing me won't change anything."

Rage broke her voice. "This ain't over. You can't take someone just 'cause you want them!"

"Yes, I can, Rogue. _Yes, I can_."

* * *

 _The Olympus Project Cafeteria_

'In search of Olympus' was more than a motto – it was their mantra. Like the mount peak which held the Greek gods of lore, this select elite stood on the backs of Titans and dared to want more. Every engineer, director, mechanic, instructor, and pilot was a spiritual warrior. It wasn't enough to be intelligent and capable to work here. They had to be visionaries.

But human nature exists even in Olympus. In one corner of the enormous room sat the engineers – balding, glasses-bearing, slightly timid odd-balls; in another sat the directors – stiff collars, ties, stern voices; a separate corner held the hearty, salt of the earth mechanics; and yet another contained the instructors, world-weary dreamers past their prime. Where were the pilots? One never need ask. These dashing men and women were the stars of the programs. Young, brave, intelligent, and rambunctious – spotlights followed wherever they ventured.

Raven LeBeau, known here as Becca Daumier, quietly peeled her orange. She might've preferred to eat at her desk. In fact, they _all_ might, but avoiding breaks was strictly forbidden. Moderation was the key to happiness, and yes, happiness mattered as much as success in Olympus.

Their table was joined by Dr. McCoy, the former X-Man also known as Beast, currently her boss.

"You've been quiet today," he gently remarked. "What's in your thoughts?"

Raven looked up at her peers. "Folks are in town for a visit…"

"Hm. Your mother's health is getting worse, then?" he asked.

He'd agreed to help her uphold her fabricated life, although she was beginning to regret this whole fake-identity thing. Lying all the time to her friends was exhausting, but she didn't know how to get out.

Lilah patted her back. "What can we do to help?"

"You're already doing it."

" _Samuel's_ illness didn't distress you so much," Dr. McCoy pressed. "Perhaps there's something _more_. Are your parents fighting again?"

"'Again'? They never _stop_." She set her orange down. "When I was little, it would upset me. Then they'd make up. And we were all happy again until the next fight started. That was normal. You know, when you're a child, you just accept things as they are."

A few heads bobbed sympathetically.

"Now it's like watching a tank of jellyfish. It's like – don't you see that wall? Can't you tell you're about to get stung? They just keep going round and round."

At the center of the cafeteria, the pilots erupted in cheers and applause. She couldn't see why, but Dr. McCoy wisely remarked: "For all our achievements, mankind is little better than our Neanderthal ancestors. We are still deeply driven by emotions. Desire, anger, hunger, fear. Few people ever stop to ponder their motivations or if those motivations serve any _useful_ purpose."

She cracked her citrus fruit apart. "So you're saying my parents are _cavemen_?"

"I'm merely stating they are human. Millions of years of survival instincts have given them the short-sighted and aggressive form of communication you so lament. Be patient. No man was ever better than his nature allowed."

* * *

 _Ithaca_

Soft buttercup sunlight magnified the east side of Sam's room, rousing Remy from sleep. The air mattress on the floor was still empty. He'd fallen asleep waiting for Anna to return – hoping she'd come naked and bring kisses. Apparently, her version of making his life "easier" involved _leaving_. But she'd returned at some point in the night and had been waiting patiently for him to wake.

"Chere..?"

Sitting quietly on the foot of his bed, she said: "Decided to take Sam's advice and be honest. Ah'm not afraid of dyin'. Ah'm afraid of wantin' things Ah can't have… Racing, flying, pickin' fights. If Ah can't _feel_ alive, why _be_ alive? But Ah'm also afraid of scarin' you. Somedays Ah feel like hell and Ah hate that it upsets you. Ah wanna bring _happiness_ to your life. So can we… find a way to live… _fearlessly_ … with however much time we've got..?"

He kissed her in a way that made her belly flutter. This was not the place.

"Ah'll get coffee started. When the kids wake up, we'll say good-bye. Oh, and Hill's really Mystique."

Pulling a shirt over his head, he followed her into the kitchen. "Say again?"

"Yeah, that whole SHIELD tryin' to arrest you was just her bein' her. But Ah'd lay low for a while till the real Hill returns."

"How'd I miss that?"

"Ah reckon Agent Taylor was involved, too. Otherwise you wouldn't've asked about her."

"Technically, I didn't _ask_. You offered."

"Mm-hmm. Did you kiss her?"

" _Non_!"

"'Cause everyone knows the way to your heart is by leapin' out a dark alley and puttin' a blade to your throat. And she's _pretty_ enough."

"Thief's honor."

"We must be gettin' _soft_ if cute SHIELD agents are linin' up to play cat and mouse. Ah know how to find her. Feel like gettin' a little dirty?"

His smile lit up the room.

* * *

 _The Olympus Project Hanger_

Olympus was burning. The ever-immaculate launch pad smoldered while hordes of engineers rushed about in their crisp blue uniforms. A test flight had failed – miserably – and after the flames had been cleared away, medical staff rushed in to retrieve the pilot, Jessica Lynch. She was a mangled, bloody mess. But alive.

Dr. McCoy pointed to Raven and said: "Detain them!"

She rushed to stop the other pilots at the door way. "Sorry, guys, I can't let you in."

They rabbled and Davis Cameron, an Australian, tried to rush past her. She wasn't the flimsy engineer she appeared to be, though, and with a flick of her wrist, knocked him off his feet.

"I _said_ you _can't_ see her right now. I'm sorry. I know you're _upset_ and want to _comfort_ her, but you'll only slow the doctors."

" _Hells bells!_ " yelled Tad Carter. "You don't want us to see her because you're afraid we'll turn yellow!"

Cameron slowly rose to his feet, staring daggers at her. "We're a team. We want to show it. No one here's a _coward_."

"You think she wants you to see her like this? She'll try to be tough when the doctors need her to be _honest_. Please wait. I _promise_ you can see her as soon as she's stitched up."

She was worried the fraternity of hot-heads would mob her, but they agreed to wait. Lynch survived, but would never work for the program again.

* * *

 _Monte-Carlo, Monaco_

Winding through the hairpin turns and blind curves of scenic Monaco, Agent Taylor – alias Amelia Yacovone today – drove cautiously. She didn't see other vehicles, but the sheer drops overlooking the coast were dangerous enough. Princess Grace Kelly had famously perished among them. Yes, Taylor would exercise caution.

Unlike that box-truck barreling down on her. Some basic defensive driving didn't convince him to pass, so she tapped the brakes to pull over. He slammed into her bumper, forcing her vehicle to fish-tail. She re-gained control and punched the gas. Again, the truck stayed on her. Now she knew her cover had been blown and reached for the gun under the consul, but before she turned the safety off, the truck had pulled alongside.

Gambit, riding shotgun, smiled and waved.

She aimed her firearm and the driver slammed on brakes. Smiling smugly, she returned her eyes to the road and saw a line of spikes waiting. She hit the brakes hard enough to burn rubber, but it was too late. All four tires broke loudly on the metal barricade.

She sprung from the car and fired a clip into the truck. Unbothered, Rogue flew straight for her. The useless gun was knocked away and Taylor found herself penned beneath the unmovable force that was Rogue. Gambit casually lit and tossed playing cards into her car.

"That's a rental!" she barked.

"Where's this _cure_ you promised?" he asked.

"Go to hell!"

"Wrong answer."

He grabbed Rogue's shoulder and teleported all three of them to a snowy mountain top. The sun was already setting and she was dressed for Europe's sunny summer beaches.

"I hate the cold as much as the next man," he said. "So I'll give you a chance. See that snowmobile at the bottom? Y'all race for it and first one to reach it gets to keep it."

"Does it even have gas?" Taylor knew she couldn't out run Rogue.

"You better hope so, girl. Ready, set-"

She sprinted for the vehicle.

"Hey!" Rogue shouted. "No cheatin'!" Then she snatched Taylor's hair so hard that her feet flew up over her head. She fell flat on the snow and heard them laughing as they sped away.

* * *

 _The Olympus Project Campus_

Well after dinner time, Raven was still at work. She decided to visit Lynch once everything had calmed, even though she was eager to get home to the kids. The pilots had finally been allowed in. As always, they made their presence known from a distance, and she heard them long before she entered.

"That stupid blue _furball_ sent his lackey."

"We could've kicked _all_ their asses, but we wanted the doctors to focus on _you_ , Jess."

"Thanks, guys. I can't believe the nerve of that mutie-lover. _'She wouldn't want you to see her that way!'_ I hope they _both_ get hit by a bus so we can get some _intelligent_ people in here."

They laughed and cheered.

Raven slammed the door open. "How _dare_ you! Do you realize Dr. McCoy's the _only_ reason you're not a Von Hagens display right now? And he's no more responsible for his genetics than _you_ are! Maybe he isn't conventionally attractive, but he's got the _biggest_ heart! And the _sharpest_ mind! And the _sweetest_ laugh, and-! You should be _ashamed_ of yourselves!"

They dissolved again into laughter.

She stormed out, shaking and weeping with rage. Just when she thought she couldn't be angrier, someone mocked 'you should be _ashamed_ of yourselves!' Someone quietly admonished: 'Come on, guys. She's speaking out of love.' But she didn't know who said it, and at that point, didn't care.

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…


	5. Perennial & Far-Reaching

"All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming."  
-Helen Keller

 **Chapter Five: Perennial and Far-Reaching**

 _Vaduz, Liechtenstein_

The cozy little inn overlooked most of the village and part of the Alps, where Agent Taylor had been dumped. Perhaps she hadn't known at the time, but a camping resort was within walking distance. She wouldn't die out there. And when she finally found lodgings, she wouldn't think Gambit and Rogue were still nearby. They had a teleporter, after all, and could've gone anywhere.

"This is nice, Cajun," Rogue said, taking in the ambience. "You sure know how to treat a girl."

"Gotta sweeten you up," he winked.

"Not true. A semi-private, semi-flat surface is all we've ever needed."

"Then I'll send the wine back."

"Beginnin' to think we made a mistake. Maybe we should just run away together. Live one long holiday. God knows we've earned it."

"Can't give Mystique the pleasure of thinkin' she ran me off."

"Hm. Hadn't thought of that."

"Besides, we ain't gonna ride off into the sunset. We'll go out in a blaze of glory. And they'll bury us side-by-side."

"Think so?"

"Dunno about you, but I enjoy bein' the scoundrel of Xavier's. Seen what the pressure did t' Cyclops and I'll pass."

"Ain't afraid of _pressure_ but Ah like knowin' you make plans with me in them."

He gently squeezed her hand. "Always."

"'Cause Ah can't shake this feelin' that one day Ah'm gonna wake up and you're gone."

"That make me a dream or a nightmare?"

She allowed herself to smile at his joke and he watched her fears vanish. Mocking the shadows always made them less frightening, and he was confident he'd raised her spirits when she said: "Life's fleeting for everyone. Reckon Ah'm just _feelin'_ it now."

A long, sharp spear pierced his heart. He took her hand and words poured out in hopeless agony. "Don't talk like that. Life's fleetin' for everyone else. _Not you_. Anna, if I lost you…"

"You'd hook up with some feisty young thing," she shrugged.

" _Non_."

"Probably a career criminal. Ah know Ah've _ruined_ superheroes for you. Together, you'll travel the world, making love _nine times_ a day. And then somewhere you'll see a woman with white hair and you'll vaguely miss my sass. You won't be lonely long-"

Her perverse fantasy was abruptly silenced by his kiss. Intended to convey his devotion, it was ironically devoid of tenderness. His hunger languished on her mouth. All of the burdens he'd born alone rolled onto her shoulders but she didn't recoil. He'd been keeping everything at arm's length – her, her sickness, Raven, and even his friends. _Fear_ kept him isolated. Experience had taught her the surest way to exorcise that demon was with gentle pressure and unfailing patience: traits that didn't come to her naturally. But all her work was rewarded when he finally came back. His heart was hers again and she was home.

She reached out and laced her fingers through his hair. "You're _not_ alone, Remy. Ah don't know how long Ah've got, but whatever life Ah have left, Ah wanna spend it with you." She inhaled deeply. "Would you-"

A scream pierced the night.

The tranquil little inn was suddenly invaded by a handful of attackers. Their costumes and deformities clearly identified them as mutants, but to cement that notion, the ugliest declared: "On this night, the world turned a blind eye to the Morlock Massacre! We only wanted to live in _peace_! Tonight we demand a human sacrifice for every Morlock lost! You looked away, but you will _never_ escape!"

"Y'all picked the _wrong_ place!" Rogue roared, glowing with rage. Benefited with super strength and flight, she shot through the stampede towards the would-be attackers.

Gambit leaped from table to island to chandelier. The last of the fleeing civilians scrambled away, giving him a clear shot. He threw charged cards in quick succession. Dancing away from the explosions, the attackers were forced together. Rogue ripped the bar counter from the floor and threw it, knocking four of them through a wall. The fifth spun out and fired a lightning bolt from his right eye. Gambit dodged and the bolt blew through the ceiling. The roof imploded and the lights failed. Under the cover of debris and rising dust, the assailant fled and Rogue made to follow.

"He ain't runnin' from _us_." Gambit grabbed her arm. "Hear that?"

"Sirens."

"Not local."

"That's SHIELD."

"Probably rescuin' Taylor. Don't expect they'll be happy t' see _us_." After she picked him up and shot into the starry sky, he said: "Ever been t' Switzerland?"

* * *

 _The Olympus Project Hanger_

Cameron sat in the pilot's seat while the technicians checked and double-checked their numbers. The tension was palpable following Lynch's accident, but something else gnawed at Raven's conscious. _'Don't let him go,'_ a quiet voice warned. _'He'll die out there. His body will come back in a box and his family will only be told that he died serving his country.'_ But she had nothing to prove her fears, and the more she fretted, the more he teased her.

"Becks, why don't you come check my safety belt? See for yourself I'm strapped in. I'll let you _wiggle_ it and everything."

Everyone cleared away from the launch pad. From the observation deck, she watched as his enormous vessel transformed to plasma and then appeared to vanish. In truth, it hadn't moved. The space _around_ it had moved. This was the only way to travel faster than the speed of light and reach the faraway galaxies hiding life-supporting planets.

"How're his vitals?" Raven asked.

Dr. Brink replied: "Steady."

A moment later, navigation reported that he'd successfully traversed the distance. Everyone exhaled. But he never checked in. Moments later, his vitals were distressed.

"Bring him back!" Carter said.

Dr. McCoy shook his head. "I wish it was that simple."

"You brought _Jess_ back!"

"Captain Lynch never left," he said. "Her ship was never even fully charged. _Shit_ ," he muttered to himself. "We're going to lose the _ship_ , too."

Raven watched helplessly as Cameron's vitals continued to weaken. Anxiety erupted thoughtless demand: "Send me."

McCoy gave her a hard look. "You're not trained."

"I'll survive the journey. You know that's the hardest part. Whatever's got him – I can fix it. Give me a suit, charge it, and blast me to his damn coordinates!"

Everyone was looking at her now. Carter finally asked: "How would that _not_ kill you?"

"I'm invincible."

"Alright," McCoy removed his glasses. "We send you and you _don't_ die. But we've got _no_ guarantee of getting you or Cameron back. He _knew_ the risks. You _haven't_ thought this through."

"Please! He's _dying_!"

She rushed onto the launch pad and pulled a suit on. Then she turned to the observation deck with impatient, outstretched arms. She had no idea what they were saying or what they'd do. The sound of her racing heart filled the muffled silence.

"Launching in ten seconds," the tower said.

She could've wept with relief. "Thank you!"

"Four… Three… Two…"

Too soon, she felt jerked by an invisible cord attached to her belly button. Time, space, and mass flew past wildly. The suit boiled, engulfing her in claustrophobic solar power while the universe knocked her around like a nail in a blender. Then, suddenly, she stopped.

"Olympus, can you hear me?" she said but the words never existed. The suit had been badly damaged and the vacuum of space provided no currents to support sound.

Cameron's ship had gotten stuck in an electrical storm in the planet's atmosphere. The plasma-charged vessel bonded with the magnetic force and couldn't revert to its solid form. Basically, he was trapped in an oven. Peeking through the tiny window, she saw he'd passed out at the controls. Thankfully, he still wore his protective suit. She ripped open the hatch, flew inside, unbuckled him, and carried him back out the hatch. They plummeted, racing against the vicious lightning storm. Near the surface, she slowed and carried him to land.

Like Earth, this planet was mostly water. And like Earth billions of years ago, this planet held nothing more than water and rock. The water was too poisonous to support the cells which would one day become plants and animals, and the crust too unstable to support life, anyway. Even the sky seemed murderous with its global electric hurricane. But there was precious oxygen and precious water in abundance.

"Olympus, can you hear me?" she said again.

This time, she heard the faded cheers of her colleagues. "What's the damage, Daumier?"

"We had to evacuate the vessel. There's a bad electrical storm creating interference. I've got the pilot and we're grounded."

"His vitals are steady. How's he look?"

Cameron slowly opened his blue eyes.

"Looks good to me," she said, blushing slightly.

He looked worried. "Becca, what-? What happened to your hair?"

As part of her fake identity, she usually hid her white locks by folding them behind her ears. Then she clipped plain hair extensions over her roots. It didn't have to be convincing. Whenever a silver hair broke free, people automatically assumed she was concealing early grey hair. A pair of weak reading glasses completed the disguise of bookish, anxious Becca Daumier, but the journey had literally blown her cover.

"You like it?" she asked weakly.

Olympus radioed: "Once the storm clears, we'll send an evac team. Can you describe what you see?"

"Black rocks. Squared. It's weird, like the _Borgs_ have been here. Red water. Loads and loads of it. No plant life. Nothing to make shelter with."

"Do you have any drinking water?"

"No…" Ominous realization set in. "How long can he survive without anything to drink? Three days? This storm might last _weeks_."

"We've already begun formulating an alternative plan to evacuate. Stand by."

Raven examined Cameron's wounds. Luckily, nothing was worse than his lack of water. The countdown towards his imminent death had already begun.

"All this time," he said. "You _knew_ you could do this? And you _never_ said anything? Why didn't _you_ volunteer for the pilot program?"

"I've got two kids," she spat. " _Foster_ kids. And I'm literally _all_ they have! Besides, isn't a _mutie_ worse than a _mutie-lover_? You'd never accept me."

He had the grace to look ashamed. "Look, I'm sorry you had to hear that. I don't agree with it."

"Gee, thanks."

"No, really. My sister's a mutant and I – _I_ was a mutant until M-Day when I was de-powered. I'm sure I sounded like a bigot, but I really _don't_ hate mutants. I hated _myself_ when I had to live like that."

"Stop talking. I know you think this sounds _justified_ , but it doesn't. Just stop."

Again, he looked bashful. "Should've known better than to get into a battle of the wits with _you_. That's why I'm the _cannon fodder_ , right?"

Her heart broke a little. Who didn't love a hero? Well, the 'mutie-lovers' didn't, and they had volleyed with their own private criticisms. Apparently, the pilots' ears worked as well as the engineers' ears. He knew she was no more moral than he was, but rather than take the tempting road of righteous indignation, he tried too hard to charm her. And it worked. Against her own wishes, she found herself disarmed.

"Anyway, you've saved my life," he said. "I'll be forever in your debt. Assuming I survive this…"

"I'm sorry you heard that," she said. "We weren't – I didn't – I'm sorry I called you 'cannon fodder'. But don't you realize how foolish it is? You call it 'bravery', but it's _stupid_!"

He shrugged. " _Someone's_ got to go."

"Why do you have to be so _cavalier_?"

"Surely, I don't have a death wish." He smiled prettily.

She decided Cameron was Head Boy and Quidditch Captain rolled into one very handsome product. If only he weren't so _stupid_ …

The ground beneath them rumbled. She lifted him into the air and they flew away for more stable ground. The water was choppy and frothy; the lightning, perennial and far-reaching. Several bolts struck the water, causing the endless ocean to illuminate in neon ripples.

"There!" he spotted the island first. They'd nearly arrived when a lightning bolt struck close enough to hurl them both into the metallic sea. Muted red-brown water burned her eyes, and the warm water tossed her deep beneath the surface. She reached but couldn't find _up_. She couldn't see bubbles to help direct her. The panic she'd been suppressing finally exploded, and she _knew_ she would die here.

A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to the surface.

"I can't breathe!" she shuddered. "I'm gonna _die_! I'm gonna die and my _kids_ -!"

Cameron pulled her onto his stomach like a mother otter with its pup. "Oy! Chill out. This is nothing! Back home, I used to surf with sharks big enough to swallow a Buick. No sharks here, right?"

Still shaking, she fumed: " _I don't know!_ Why would you _say_ that?!"

"Kick with me, alright? We're swimming towards the shore."

"Like hell we are!" Flying, she carried him to land. "I _hate_ the water."

"How can anyone hate _water_?"

"Because it's big and hides things that want to kill you."

He laughed heartily. "You're scared because you can't swim! It's like flying but underwater, you dope."

"What do _you_ know about _flying_?"

Before he could respond, the island rumbled and they once more took to flight. The planet, they discovered, had no real _ground_ to stand on. The land that rose was inevitably a volcano ready to erupt; its ashes provided a steady diet for the electrical storm which continuously knocked her into the sea. The scene was breathtaking and deadly – volcanos erupting under electrically charged copper waves. Thorny, neon bolts reached through grey and brown clouds for them.

"It is beautiful, isn't it?" she remarked. "What is it about death that makes life _so_ beautiful?"

"What do _you_ know about _death_?" He asked lightly.

* * *

 _Bern, Switzerland_

Remy walked into the hotel room, arms laden with breakfast, and found Rogue dressed but still in bed.

"Rub my chest, please," she said.

"Hands are cold," he smiled, "But I think you enjoy that."

She didn't return his smile. "Not a come-on, Cajun."

His face slowly fell. "It's gettin' worse?"

For a long time, she lay silent as he rubbed the thin muscles above her breasts. It must've been painful if she allowed him to touch the rough, discolored skin along her chest and arms. Lately, she'd insisted on keeping the lights off and a shirt on when they were intimate. Now he could see why. The boils had hardened into… felt like _bones_. Dozens of rounded bones protruded under elephant-like hide. If this was the _visible_ damage – what _couldn't_ he see? He imagined her chest cavity filled with tumors and restrained his panic with gossamer thin threads.

"Ah'm goin' off the medicine," she said. "If my body survives but nothin' else… Ah don't wanna be a vegetable. Or a robot… And if the _worst_ happens, Ah want you to find your career criminal nymphomaniac."

Tears throttled his throat. Then he remembered death was easier to find than to avoid. If she could decide the terms of her existence, so could he, and he found the strength to joke. "Time with the X-Men's taught me alien viruses ain't deadly. You'll get temperamental. Possibly murderous. That's all. And I'll be right there with y', so don't get us killed."

"In other words, you'll be my horseman?"

He took her hand and traced it with his lingering fingers. "In Vaduz, y' were about t' ask me somethin'… Do you wanna get married?"

"Ah wanna marry _you_."

Something cool and smooth appeared between his finger tips and slid up her finger. A delicate sapphire ring suited her just fine. Upon closer examination, she'd find _'Mon coeur est tout a toi. Garde le bien pour moi'_ inscribed in tiny letters. "I lied when I said I never thought about it… I was gonna wait till your birthday, but I'm sick of not bein' married to you."

' _And I might not live till my birthday,'_ she thought, but said: "Ah don't need anything else. Let's go to the registry."

"Today?"

"Now."

"Can I brush my teeth first?"

* * *

 _Exoplanet CJX99B_

Between land-hopping, flying between lightning bolts, and swimming, Cameron kept up conversation. He asked about her kids, so she told him. As luck would have it, he'd grown up in a foster home, too, and had some insight about Marie's sulky, sometimes _violent_ behavior. His only blood-kin was his sister, Heather, and her two kids. In turn, he asked about Raven's family – not realizing what he'd opened. She said she had a half-sister who'd married, moved to Wakanda, now worked in politics, and had a son. Told him about her twin brother who'd graduated from West Point, married his childhood sweetheart, was an X-Man, and had a little boy named Jack. That baby was her sun and stars. She told him that her husband was from Texas and loved football. His brother, buried in Beaumont, was the only in-law she'd ever met.

Yes, she told the story like that – as if they were all still alive. She didn't know _why_ she did it.

Then she spoke about her father's two-dozen love-children. To her, they weren't a classroom to be managed. These children were her family. A weaker man might've been overwhelmed by the mass of her story, but Cameron continued to ask poignant questions. In this vein, they passed the day. Strenuous hours flicked by like heartbeats. She only realized how long they'd been struggling when he finally went limp in her arms.

"Olympus, how're Cameron's vitals?"

"I'll be blunt, Daumier, he won't last three days. Is there anywhere to take shelter?"

"Negative."

She'd been flying or swimming for twelve hours and hadn't encountered a change in scenery. One bit of planet represented all of it. At length, McCoy came over the radio.

"Is his suit stable enough to protect him off-planet?"

"No. Neither is mine, so I can't patch him up."

He went silent for a long time. Finally: "You may have to leave him and re-enter space for retrieval."

"Not while he's alive."

Six hours later, Cameron had regained consciousness and breathlessly joked. "This place isn't so bad. We'll just… bring in sand for the beaches…"

"Of course you don't think it's uninhabitable. No sharks, no snakes, no spiders, no crocodiles. Why, it's practically _Eden_!"

His head lolled aside.

McCoy's voice re-appeared. "We're launching a ship just outside orbit. A smaller vessel will journey through the atmosphere, extract you, and return to the ship."

"Two ships…" Cameron muttered. "Three people… Not worth it, Becks… What're the chances of a dingy making it through that storm? What if they run out of fuel?... Leave me."

She patted his chest sympathetically. "My husband has this story… When he was a kid, someone went swimming during a rip tide. They'd been warned but they'd also been drinking. That man could've died. But everyone linked arms to make a chain, waded out, and pulled him back in. _You're_ not worth the lives of three men and the cost of three vessels… Just like that drunkard wasn't worth the lives of _twenty_ people… but this isn't about _you_. This is about the _goodness_ in people."

Against all odds, the dingy survived the global storm. Twice. A satellite was deployed into orbit to monitor the storm. If it was a permanent fixture, it would make habitation impossible, but more likely, the endless storm was a reaction to the endless volcanic eruptions. Life wouldn't be sustainable for eons.

"I want a fifteen ounce steak and a pot of coffee!" Cameron told the cheering crowd. What he got was an IV and sixteen ounces of Gatorade.

McCoy took Raven aside. "We need to talk."

" _I_ need a break."

The last several hours had been too intense. What had come over her? She'd blown her cover, risked her life, and hijacked the whole project – for _what_? Some dashing idiot who joked about death? If she didn't escape soon, she'd scream. Instead, she cut through the crowd like a shark fin through water as the crew waved and smiled.

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…

 **Author's Notes:** ok, so I had to give Rogue and Gambit a good deed to make up for their naughty one last time! _'Mon Coeur est tout a toi. Garde le bien pour moi'_ is French for "My heart is yours. Keep it well." History buffs may recognize it. When the infamous Duchess of Devonshire's parents were betrothed, her would-be-father gave her would-be-mother a ring with this inscription. I think it's the most romantic thing ever. Also, sapphire is the birthstone for September. Rogue's birthday's never been stated in the comics, but since this story takes place in the summer, early autumn ties it together. Davis Cameron isn't my creation; he was actually an X-Man for like two panels.


	6. Perfection

"Of all the shapes we might've been, I say 'hooray!' for the shapes we're in!"  
–Dr. Seuss

 **Chapter Six: Perfection**

 _Three Days Later…  
Copenhagen, Denmark_

No one knew their names. No one knew who they were. It was exceptionally easy to conceal her hair in a white head-scarf, pop down to the registry, and exchange vows. The ceremony was simple and intimate. If they'd been able to cut out the few other participants, they would have. This sacred moment was between them and the presence of witnesses was unwelcomed – although required by law.

They changed out of their wedding costumes before lunch and spent the day fishing. By the end of the day, she'd forgotten she was married, and accidentally signed her name 'Anna M. Raven' at the hotel.

From the outside, nothing changed. They still argued about toothpaste tubes and toilet paper rolls; they didn't make-out in the rain. But something between them shifted. Maybe he'd been holding back a piece of himself all this time and could finally entrust her with his whole heart. Maybe she'd felt like one of many. He'd never given her a solid number of his past paramours, so the number grew exponentially in her imagination. Then, of course, there was Bella Donna, who'd exchanged vows with him first. That colossal love no longer towered over their bed, but was a relic of the past. Or maybe their vows really were divine and had transformed them.

Whatever the reason, she didn't want to share the secret and risk losing the magic.

Her health soared as if supported by her happy heart. The boils, fatigue, and breathlessness vanished when she stopped using the antidote. Ecstatic, she wanted to experience _everything_ with him, and at first, he was content to accompany her. They spent the nights in town, the mornings making love, and the sunny afternoons on the water. It took a few days to voice his concerns, but the truth was much worse than he suspected.

She hadn't slept in fourteen days. Instead, while he slumbered, she memorized the stubble coating his chin; the sheet impressions still marking his cheek; the ever-deepening worry-line between his brows. She remembered every generous and kind gesture he'd ever shown, along with every fault and flaw. The memories were her trinkets to pull out and examine at her leisure. Sleep was something she no longer needed. Also alarming was the lack of waste her body produced. Apparently, her physical form had reached perfection and without rest and digestion, she experienced a world hidden to everyone else.

Life was perfect.

* * *

 _Ithaca_

Shortly before noon, Marie emerged from her bedroom in one dark, gloomy heap. Raven and Samuel sat at the table, basking golden light upon one another as they played a game of _Scrabble_. They were so loud. Didn't they know how stupid they looked? There was no prize in winning; the board couldn't hear their lame jokes; and no one thought they were clever with their flexible use of the letter 'Q'. How she _hated_ them. Mostly, she resented how untouched they were by despair when misery oozed over every inch of her life.

"Why're you here?" she snapped at Raven.

Unflinching, her guardian replied: "I live here."

"Why don't you ever go to work anymore? Did they realize how _stupid_ you are and _fire_ you?"

"She's not stupid!" Samuel argued.

"It's okay, honey. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

"Quoting the fucking _Princess Diaries_?" Barked Marie. "I take it back! You _are_ wise! What other wannabe Buddha bullshit do you have?"

Raven smiled. "Thought you _hated_ Disney?"

Literally shaking with rage, she shouted: " _I hate you!"_

As she stormed outside, Samuel said: "I wish you wouldn't let her talk to you like that."

"Hitting with words is better than fists," she patted his hand. "She doesn't mean it. Some people, when they're hurting, they pretend to be angry instead."

"Why?"

"They're _afraid_. I know she upsets you, but Marie is like a volcano. Violent and ugly right now, but after she settles, things will be more beautiful than ever. Hold on to that."

He rested his robotic head on her shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She kissed him.

"Who _else_ do you love?" Marie hissed, slamming the door as she returned.

"That's enough!" said Raven. "Be as mad as you like, but don't break my house! Insurance doesn't cover adolescent mood swings. Come here, honey, I love y-"

"Blow it out your ass! I meant your _sweetie pie_. He's waiting. Guess now your ship's come in, Sam and I are old baggage. I _knew_ you were just like everyone else. Enjoy it while it lasts, Samuel. The home's gonna sell you for scraps."

With another slammed door, she vanished back into her room. Raven immediately turned to Sam, but he cut her off: "Good! We need another man around here. What's his name?"

"I dunno. Let's go see."

Davis Cameron was standing outside patiently. When he smiled, she did, too, and that made his smile spread. Soon they devolved into a couple of blushing, grinning fools.

"See you met Marie," she said. "This is Samuel. Sam, this is my co-worker, Mr. Cameron."

If he was shocked to meet a robot, he covered it well. "Hi, Sam. Call me Davis. Sorry to bother you at home, Becks, but you weren't returning anyone's calls and I got worried."

Sam looked at her. " _Becks_?"

Raven suddenly realized how quickly everything could blow up in her face. Her lies were castles made of sand. Sam and Marie didn't know the truth about her job and Cameron didn't know the truth about her personal life. But neither did they _need_ to know. Olympus was secretive, and she'd determined to _never_ bring a step-anything around her kids. Cameron had no right to come here and complicate everything. He _had_ to leave _now_.

"Please go. I'm suspended pending the investigation. That's all."

"You saved my life!" he said. "Why are you _suspended_?"

Sam looked at her. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because no one knows what to _do_ with me. Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't want to disappoint you."

"I'm proud of _you_ ," the robot-boy insisted. "Not your job title!"

She smiled with tears in her summer-green eyes. Then she told Cameron: "Please _go_. You've done enough."

"But you – we-" he glanced at Sam. " _Sorry_."

Sam watched him leave on his noisy motorcycle and boldly declared: "I like him."

* * *

 _Copenhagen, Denmark_

Her hands slid under thick, foreign blankets to the familiar expanse of his stomach. Goose bumps sprouted in her wake. Lingering along his abdomen, she stole his warmth before moving lower to more sensitive regions. A sharp, deep intake of breath betrayed his exit from sleep, and his hands immediately touched her chest – smooth, soft, and pale. His sleep-hazed mind seemed confused at its panic and instantly sought to soothe itself by claiming her. She gladly surrendered. Half-asleep, his hands were clumsy and forceful. His lips betrayed every thought. After weeks of keeping a shirt between them and months of secrecy, this raw, animalistic joining was mind-blowing.

At least, _her_ mind was blown. Even in her afterglow, she couldn't miss the tension in his jaw. He rolled away coolly.

"Remy..?"

" _Four hours_ of sleep!" he barked. "Is that too much to ask?"

She rolled away but he grabbed her wrist.

"Chere-"

She snatched her hand back.

"I'm _sorry_ but y' need t' take your medicine."

"That stuff nearly killed me!" she snapped.

"No, it made y' _feel_. Think y' never need sleep or food? Anna, you been goin' non-stop. We do the _same_ _things_ day in, day out. Y' like a hamster runnin' on a wheel, goin' faster and faster, and y' gotta stop."

"Ah thought you were happy, but if _that's_ how ya feel!" She pulled out her work uniform and got dressed.

"Where y' goin'?"

"Rogers has been callin'. Ah'll go where Ah'm needed." Even in the dark, she could see relief on his face and it made her furious.

He whistled suggestively as she flew out the window.

When had _their_ honeymoon turned into _her_ enjoyment at _his_ expense? Why couldn't he just say… What? He was sick of her? That wasn't true. Remy needed solitude more than most people; she'd known that when she married him. But she _wanted_ him. And he, trying to please her and thinking she was dying, had given as much as he could. The fact that he needed something _else_ didn't mean he didn't love her, although that's how she _felt_.

Maybe it was time to go home. He needed to _work_ , too – that was _another_ sacrifice she'd accepted without gratitude. They both had demanding jobs, but he played as hard as he worked. Lately, she'd been all work, so of course she didn't want their fun to end. But that wasn't practical. Or fair. As much as she hated it, the party was over.

In a stroke of unbelievably good luck, she arrived after the action had passed. Synapse had been first on the scene and wanted Rogue to assist with clean-up, but as soon as the would-be terrorists were in police custody, she shot back to Denmark.

Remy had their packed bags on a neatly-made bed and she could hear him in the shower. Had he missed her last night? Had he gone out alone?

The opened laptop on the desk suggested he'd stayed in and worked. When she decided to pack it, the screen flicked to life. It was locked. She should've left it alone, but typed in his password, hoping to catch him in some awkward situation. Instead, she saw blueprints to the Trebekistani embassy in France. He also had the itinerary for visiting Ambassador Mikhail Plushenko and a number of Parisian addresses.

"I swear, it ain't what it looks like," Remy said, startling her as if _she'd_ been caught red-handed. He'd left the shower running so she hadn't heard him open the door. "I was lookin' at- _porn_. That's it! I was searchin' for sexy French maids."

Soaking wet and completely nude, his body distracted her _nearly_ beyond reason.

She thickly swallowed. "Is _that_ why you wanted me _gone_?... So you could _assassinate_ an _Ambassador_?"

"King of _Thieves_ , not Assassins. Remember?" He scowled.

"You planned to assassinate _Ishii_."

"That's different. He kidnapped and tortured Raven."

"But you didn't know who Raven was!"

"Did it _matter_? For a superhero, your moral compass is a bit lackin'!"

"So why did you mark the embassy? Does the Ambassador have a rare painting you fancy?"

His face was torn between offense and laughter. Finally, a smile appeared and he towel dried his hair. "Reckon you _would_ think that. Truth is, chere, you ain't married t' some part-time pick-pocket. What do you know about Trebekistan?"

Now she was annoyed. She wanted to dry off his legs, not discuss world politics. "Small, oil-rich county. Formerly part of the Soviet Union."

"Did y' know her sister nation, Carnelia, refused to recognize Trebekistan's sovereignty until last year?"

"No."

"Carnelia wanted that black gold. Could've meant war. Some sweet talk from big brothers in Europe kept things civil, but the oil companies have a lot t' gain by stirrin' up trouble. They fatten the Ambassadors pockets and both sides keep callin' the others names."

Since he was dressed, she pondered the situation. "Ah can have Rogers-"

"Don't you dare! What'd ya think's gonna happen to that money? You think the cops won't take a bite? The lawyers and the border agents? The banks? Whatever's left goes straight into some politician's pocket. How's that better than mine?"

"How's _yours_ any better than _his_?"

"Ain't lookin' t' get rich, but I got expenses. Unlike your _pure-hearted_ comrades, my employees expect a pay-check. And before y' call us undeserving, remember who rescued Marie and found Ishii. You ain't even _considered_ the long-term goals."

"What're you talkin' about?"

"I _liberate_ Plushenko from his bribe. What's he do? Ask for a refund? Complain to his boss? Or maybe he just stops takin' bribes because he knows he's bein' watched. Today it's a corporation. What next? War weapons manufacturer? Terrorists?" He turned off his laptop and packed it away. "Your boss knows what I do. _Her_ bosses know. Don't look so indignant."

* * *

 _Upper West Side_

Rogue arrived home first. She expected to. After the cats released her from their drooling, half-mad orgy, she opened the windows and watered the plants. Her real estate agent had forwarded the latest offer on the penthouse she'd been trying to sell since she and Remy moved in together. It was tempting. She started a pot of coffee while she considered it.

"Bern had the _best_ coffee," she lamented to the boys. "Honeymoon just ended and already Ah miss it."

Some luncheon meat was about to expire, so she shredded it and tossed it to the cats.

"Momma and Daddy got married, Oliver. How d'ya feel?"

He _m'row_ edand swallowed the turkey meat whole.

"No, we haven't told anybody yet. In no hurry. Ah didn't get married for _them_ , so why do Ah care what they think? As long as y'all are happy."

Lucifer dove over his brothers for the next bite.

"Daddy's workin'… He's _thievin'_. From some bad people. Ah knew what he was when Ah married him, but…"

Oliver chirped like a bird.

"Of course Ah _trust_ him, that's the problem! Ah trusted Momma and Xavier. What if _he's_ wrong, too? What if he's _lyin'_? What if he gets hurts and Ah'm not there? Ah wanna support him, but gettin' _caught_ would end my career."

Cassim, formerly Figaro, danced on his hind legs, but she pushed him away. "None for _you_ , fattie. Not till Ah hear _your_ advice."

He _m'row_ ed.

"No, we are _not_ opposed! You think SHIELD never gets dirty? They've done worse things than Remy. And he's got no one to answer to. Kind of admirable, really. He's not greedy. Doesn't hurt anyone. Always puts others first. Actually… He's a _hero_." She scooped up Lucifer and buried her face in his soft grey coat. "Why doesn't it _feel_ that way?"

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…

 **Author's Notes:** Stealing an illegal bribe is not only Gambit's style, but it's exactly what spies do. Rogue and Gambit are both experiencing internal conflicts that'll hopefully clear up next chapter. We'll also get to see more of Raven. And by the by, I had _no_ idea how difficult it is to get married in Europe! I'm amazed anyone does it. I live in the States (not Las Vegas) and filled out one piece of paper, paid $20, and waited 24 hours to get married. Boom, done. It's insane what my cousins across the pond have to go through.


	7. Contrary Words

"Love is loving things that sometimes you don't like."  
–Ajahn Brahm

 **Chapter Seven: Contrary Words**

 _Upper West Side_

The wee hours between midnight and dawn cradled Rogue soundly. Instinctively, her hand kept reaching out for Remy's pillow and finding only purring fluff. The boys missed him, too. And then, as if her dreams beckoned him, she reached out and felt his coarse glove. His comforting weight settled on her, and her legs brushed the holsters still strapped to his thighs. She ran her hands through his hair, expecting to find a mask still in place, too, but apparently he'd thought to remove that before falling into bed.

He didn't bother removing most of his clothes before he took her, too desperate to bother with foreplay. He needed something he couldn't name; something she couldn't touch. But she didn't know what else to give besides passion.

"I _knew_ you'd call Rogers," he said afterwards.

She flushed. "If Ah think you're makin' a mistake, _Ah'll_ stop you. Don't need _him_ to fight _my_ battles."

"Think that's what scares me."

"What?"

"If I'm not hidin' behind lies and you're not hidin' behind _them_ … Then it's just you and me. 'S not anybody else's fault when y' leave me."

"Remy… Ah love you and Ah'm committed. Ah don't know what else to _say_."

A light smile masked his face. With a joke about pant stains, he left her in their unbearably empty bed, wishing he'd come back to her.

* * *

 _Ithaca_

Tad Carter finally reached the day he'd been training for. It was the last day of his life.

Raven – or rather, "Becca" – hadn't been there. Still suspended from the project, she learned of Tad's death via text message. Later, Dr. McCoy called and gave her the standard line: he died a hero's death in the ever-noble quest for knowledge. She knew without being told that he'd probably roasted alive. Maybe his limbs had slowly exploded. Scientists and engineers would've scrambled like mad, searching for a solution that didn't exist; speaking soothing lies he never heard over the sounds of his own screams.

* * *

 _Manhattan_

Agent Kymberly Taylor had been trailing Gambit for weeks. Thanks to his "prank", she'd blown the Monaco mission, endured first-degree frostbite on both feet, and suffered the unending humiliation of having to be rescued. If she'd expected Rogue to be reprimanded, she was disappointed. She'd heard through the grapevine that paperwork had been filed to remove her from her field leader position, but Hill stopped it. Now everyday she saw side-ways looks, heard the whispered rumors, and knew _everyone_ knew she'd been taken down a peg for screwing with Gambit.

Well, if _he_ got a free pass, so did _she_.

Finding him wasn't terribly difficult, but she had to corner him while Rogue wasn't around. And lately she'd been on him like white on rice. Also, she had to attack him in a public place. If it looked like an accident, she'd probably get away with it. SHIELD knew he'd attacked her before; she could always claim self-defense. They might not buy it… But a jury certainly would.

He ducked into a café and sat at a table with a young man.

Simon looked around nervously. "Won't we be-?"

"Stop lookin' suspicious, son. Y' got it?"

"Depends. You have the money?"

Remy leveled his glare and Simon handed him a flash drive.

"I'm gonna verify this. Checks out, you'll have a bonus direct-deposit."

"No, you-"

"Who you think you're talkin' to?" he snarled. "The lot barkin' for this would sooner _shoot_ you than lose a dime. Walk away, son, and be grateful."

He left poor Simon trembling. Being ruthless was sometimes a part of the job, but he had every intention of honoring his end… _If_ the intel was good. The Olympus Project intended to remove mutants from Earth. History indicated that the new real estate would _not_ be prime, and he planned to bring the project to a halt. Raven was involved but she wouldn't reveal a thing. He couldn't infiltrate, either. Best bet was to find someone on the inside willing to talk. The steep bribe had graciously come from the Ambassador, and the worry that Rogue would put the pieces together burned white-hot in his mind. She wasn't stupid. Sometimes she was slow to pick up clues, but once she got moving in the right direction, she couldn't be stopped. His best defense was the truth with selective omissions since she'd gotten so _keen_ on detecting his lies. Contrary to her words, she didn't want to know everything. Once the mask was off, she was bored and then she was gone. She liked a man with mystery and he liked challenging women.

Speaking of difficult women… Agent Taylor was headed his way.

He sunk into the crowd and ducked into a subway entrance. A few minutes later, he checked his six, where she was persistently fixed. He paced the deck impatiently. A train was coming, but wouldn't reach him before she did. He turned to her.

"Avoiding me?" She embraced him and with her lips against his ear, said: "Wish you had."

Something flashed in her hand. Without seeing the weapon, his hand closed around her wrist. A 9 mm fought to face his torso: _more_ than enough in such close-quarters. Neither dared cry out, but time was against them. Soon, the train would be here, and they'd be trapped between two masses. The barrel glimpsed his thigh and she took the shot. He buckled. She collapsed and tripped over him, spilling onto the tracks as the train arrived. In a flash of light and blood, she disappeared beneath the wheels.

* * *

 _Ithaca_

Dr. McCoy followed Raven into the underground club. Instead of the typical double-take he was accustomed to provoking, he glanced and then glanced again at his surroundings. Berets. Bongos. Beards.

"The fashion of my youth is so _old_ it's _new_ again," he marveled.

She led him to a table and ordered some local brew that made him nauseous. The mediocre band abandoned the stage for the next act: a sole man with a guitar. Again, McCoy did a double-take.

"My stars! Is that-?"

A few young women _shh_ -ed him and Raven warned: "No one speaks when Nate sings!"

Young Nate Grey's talent was leagues above his pitiful venue's. McCoy wasn't a particularly avid music fan, but he could appreciate the spell cast by a live performance in the semi-darkness. The room swelled with female admirers. After five songs, he 'played one more' five more times. They wouldn't let him leave. The finale – for surely this massive musical orgy had been orchestrated – inspired his fans to raise their hands and sway. _Madness!_ Complete and utter madness!

"He's _very_ good, isn't he?" Raven said as he left the stage. A majority of the audience gathered around him.

A man joined them. Dr. McCoy had never been so grateful for masculine company.

"Ah! Mr. Cameron! Please, sit."

"You're late," Raven said.

"Couldn't _find_ it!" he complained. "When I finally _did_ , I was told 'no admittance without a date'! Had to pay some girl _forty bucks_ to get me in!"

"Oh," she giggled. "Sorry, I didn't know…"

"No matter," said McCoy. "Let's proceed, shall we? I apologize for the timing of this conversation, but I believe SHIELD intends to terminate the Olympus Project. Carter's death was… brutal. And apparently unavoidable. The Agency believes every pilot will suffer the same and that price is too steep. No announcement's been made, but it's only a matter of time."

" _I_ survived," said Cameron.

"As did Ms. Daumier. I believe the X-gene gives you two an advantage. Whatever the reason, I intend to continue my work, and I would like you both to stay as well."

"Count me in," he said.

Raven bit her lip. "You want me as a pilot."

"And an engineer."

"My _kids_ …"

"I understand the gravity of your decision, but please consider the implications. We _barely_ comprehend the mechanics of what we're working with. Whatever laws apply are completely foreign to our understanding of nature. We don't know _why_ the laws appear to change when humans are involved; we thought it must've been an error in our observations, but Ray-" he stopped himself. " _Rebecca_ , I'm not a spiritual person like yourself, but if there is a god, we are _surely_ uncovering his mysteries. _Homo sapiens_ have been deemed unworthy to possess this knowledge. Only _homo superior_ can take this next step."

She took a deep breath. "Let me think about it."

"That's all I ask. Now, if you two will excuse me, I must prepare for a congressional hearing."

As he left, she bit her lip and eyed Cameron nervously. The place was different with Dr. McCoy – she'd been excited to share a novel experience with a friend. But now she was alone with Cameron. The drinks seemed too strong; the lights, too low; the stools, too close.

He leaned towards her and said: "I thought you were _married_."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You _knew_ it'd take me ages to get here and you'd have McCoy to yourself. Are you in love with him? Dunno how I missed it before. You're always with him, always defending him. Your husband found out, didn't he? That's the _real_ reason you stopped coming to work."

She had _wanted_ to push him away but rejection still stung. "If my parents hadn't raised me better, I'd spit in your face!" she snarled and stormed out.

* * *

 _Queens, New York_

Dr. Cecilia Reyes was pushed inside an apartment and greeted by the sight of blood. Gambit lay bleeding on the couch, his face white and clammy.

"Hey, doc," he smiled weakly.

" _Remy_!" she gasped and joined the woman holding his wound.

Bullet wound. Inner thigh. Possibly nicked femoral artery.

"My lucky day," he wheezed. "All these pretty ladies touchin' me."

"Good," said Dr. Reyes. "Keep making stupid jokes. How'd this happen?"

"Just tell me what you need," the man called Fence said.

Gambit desperately needed a hospital, but she knew it was out of the question. Miraculously, she stopped the bleeding without losing his life, and by the time she left, he was making stupid jokes again.

"Hey, Cece, why y' only come 'round when my pants are off?"

She rolled her eyes and left.

Remy turned to his companions. "Verify the intel on that stick. If it's good, wire the money. Tomorrow's the first and I'm sure his rent's due…"

Darce sighed. While her husband worked, she cleaned the blood and brought him an aspirin and water. "Who did this, boss?"

"SHIELD. Who else is that good? No worries, chere, she ain't gonna trouble us anymore." He swallowed the pills dry. "Get on the phone and find out how low I gotta lay."

"Don't get much lower than _Queens_!" Fence smiled.

By the night's end, they'd determined that Simon's intel was good and that SHIELD was plenty pissed. Several hospitals with patients matching his description had been put on lock-down, and a $50,000 reward had been offered for information regarding his whereabouts. New York was too hot. SHIELD was already sitting on New Orleans.

He gave Fence a blank check and told them to take that Alaskan cruise they always talked about. No telling when they'd meet again and Gambit couldn't afford to lose his few friends.

"They've probably arrested m' _cats_ ," he said.

Before he teleported to a safe house in the Outback, Darce packed him a couple sandwiches.

"I couldn't sleep if I thought you were hungry."

Fence rolled his eyes. "He's gonna pop a stitch and _bleed_ to death before he _starves_ , woman!"

"Shut it, you!" She took Gambit's hands. "I don't know _how_ , but we'll get a message to Rogue."

"No sweat. Typical Thursday for us. Thank y'all for lettin' me bleed all over your furniture. One day I'll make it up t' you."

* * *

 _Pittsburg, Pennsylvania_

"Nice work," Rogue congratulated her team.

Cable worked out a kink in his shoulder. "Back at ya, Ace. Never seen you _move_ like that."

"Hey," she shrugged. "When you're hot, you're hot."

Ever since she'd stopped taking the antidote, she'd been running circles around everyone else. Sometimes she felt _too_ high strung – like she could almost see through walls and hear thoughts. She didn't think it was necessarily a bad thing, but the doctors disagreed. They wanted her back on the antidote – at a lower dosage. They could find another Guinea pig. She _liked_ her new abilities.

Rogers arrived and asked her to ride back with the others.

"Ah feel fine," she said. "Ah'll fly."

" _Rogue_." He fixed her with a look.

Her heart sank. Rogers had something dreadful to say, and she knew it was about Gambit.

"What's he done?"

On the helicopter ride, he explained that Gambit and Agent Taylor had gotten into an altercation in a subway station. She'd fired a shot before falling on the tracks. He'd bled profusely before teleporting away and Taylor was dead. Naturally, SHIELD had some questions for her.

The world spun and she couldn't catch her breath. It had been _weeks_ since her last spell! But this was clearly _more_ than stress.

By the time they landed in New York, her whole body was numb. Wade didn't hesitate to say her lips were blue, but SHIELD insisted on getting their answers before she got medical attention. Sometime between the fortieth and fiftieth time they asked where he was hiding, the world went black.

* * *

 _MacTaggert Hospital for the Superhuman  
Manhattan_

Raven brought Sam and Marie to visit Rogue at the hospital, unaware of the web awaiting her. Deputy Director Hill insisted on speaking to her. SHIELD agents herded the children away. Not wanting to make a scene, she acquiesced.

They threatened to arrest her if she didn't reveal Remy's location. Of course, she didn't know. They terminated her from the Olympus Project and revoked her scholarship, which was conditional based on her work. It didn't matter. She still didn't know where he was. They reminded her that Marie could be deported, sent back to the Canadian foster system, and Sam was only in her custody because SHIELD made it so. They could easily give him to someone else. In tears, she promised them anything.

"I don't know where Gambit is, but I'll find him!"

Hill rolled her eyes. "He'll turn up eventually. We want you to bring someone else." She slid a picture across the table.

"Nil?"

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…

 **Author's Notes:** Ajahn Brahm has a lot of sermons posted on YouTube. He's a fun little character, check him out. Speaking of fun characters, I was sorry to see Tad go… I'm afraid Remy's still not being entirely honest with his wife. The more he lets her in, the more his mental alarms are ringing: _"this is bad!"_ Anyone with his life experiences would feel that way, and in my opinion, it's one of their relationship's biggest challenges.


	8. Dare Imagine the Implausible

"Kindness is magic."  
–Ricky Gervais

 **Chapter Eight: Dare Imagine the Implausible**

 _Australia_

Gambit knew he had one chance to get as far away as possible. He needed to go somewhere isolated, somewhere SHIELD wouldn't expect.

The X-Men base in the Outback hadn't been used in years. But that didn't mean it was _vacant_. Instead of spiders and shadows, he popped into fluorescent light and air conditioning. A man's booming voice commanded him to freeze. He'd been an idiot to think SHIELD hadn't been waiting, _watching_ for him to teleport! Disoriented, he threw a handful of charged cards and dove through a window. The surrounding dessert had been paved over to make a parking lot.

" _How'd this jackass get here?"_

" _Neal, he's bleeding!"_

" _Help me get him to the table."_

He lay in a dimly-lit hospital room. Beside him, Hill was asleep in a chair. Although he didn't _see_ Rogue, he knew she was there. She was always with him. Then he heard her thoughts in his mind.

" _They said Taylor's dead."_

" _She fell on the tracks."_

" _Where_ _ **are**_ _you?"_

" _The Outback."_

She seemed to understand. _"Are we dead?"_

" _Side by side, chere, just like I said."_

* * *

 _Meanwhile in Ithaca…_

Raven sat at the kitchen table in the dark. After eons and eternities, her phone finally buzzed with a text message. Nil agreed to meet her at Angelo's in Manhattan.

"You look _lovely_ ," he said frostily, helping her to her seat.

She forced a smile. "Thanks for coming. I know you didn't have to. And probably didn't _want_ to after our last conversation. I feel terrible about what I-"

"Cut the chit-chat. I'm well aware you need help. My time's expensive and I won't be paid in compliments."

Her smile faltered. "But that picture you made for me-"

"A farewell gift. You made me happy, I repaid the service, and we departed without debts or entanglements."

"That's not true."

He smiled wickedly. "You cats are all the same. Only call me when _you_ need something. What is it? A sympathetic shoulder? A free meal? Don't lie or I'll leave. And I can see it in your eyes, you poor exposed soul. Life must be truly dreadful if you've come to me."

Sure SHIELD was listening, she said: "I've _missed_ you." Touching his hand, she lightly traced a Guild code for 'help'.

His eyes barely flickered. "Such sweet lies might be _believed_ if I wanted them badly enough." He traced 'G ?' on the back of her hand.

"You know me so well."

"Enough to know you take more than your share. If you require my body, you can exert the proper effort to make me _desire_ generosity."

For a brief moment, nothing on earth was worth suffering his arrogance. She wanted to rip his face off. But then she thought of Sam and Marie, and the feeling passed. "Your place?"

In the taxi, he fished her cell phone out of her purse and tinkered with it. She didn't ask. Once they were safely in his apartment, he asked for details and she told him everything. She was glad to confess. Lies didn't suit her, nor did she suit them. Unfortunately, Nil didn't react the way she wanted.

"Sweet Mother of God! After everything I did, Hill's willing to give me another chance?"

"What?"

He looked her over. "My pet, _surely_ you know I betrayed your beloved King to SHIELD. And then I suffered a stroke of insanity and double-crossed _them_ to spare Gambit."

"You did it because you love me."

"Don't flatter yourself! I acted under the assumption that even _your_ good graces could be bought. Instead, you threw away my heart until it suited you! My frail manly ego has been battered, and now my desire for vengeance is greater than any passion you ever inflamed."

Was he serious? "You don't mean that. Please, Nil, I know I could make you happy."

"Make me happy?" He laughed sharply. "You couldn't seduce the exoskeleton off a cockroach! No, I'll help you get your kids back, and Hill will pick up the tab. Don't look so forlorn. _You_ haven't lost a thing!"

* * *

 _Three Days Later…  
Manhattan_

With a long, slow breath, Rogue opened her eyes. Her insides felt like putty. Beside her, Mystique in the guise of Maria Hill held her hand.

"My darling girl… How're you feeling?"

"Since when do you care?" She sat up and began pulling off wires. "Where is he?"

"Rogue, you're not well enough to leave."

" _Bullshit_. You're using me as bait, aren't you? Can't hold me against my will. Ah'll dismantle this whole damn hospital brick-by-brick if Ah have to."

"At least speak to the doctor first."

"Why? So he can say whatever you _want_ him to?"

"Do you _really_ believe you're well enough to look after yourself? Listening to a medical professional could only _benefit_ you."

"Why're you doin' this?" Rogue hissed. "Ah thought you were chasin' Remy so he'd give up lookin' for a cure and go back to thievin'. He's _done_ that. What _more_ do you want?"

Maria's face came close to hers. "I looked the other way when you had your fun with Taylor. But my agent's _dead_ now. What do you expect _me_ to do? If he can't handle himself, that's _his_ problem." She leaned back. "Tell me, would you still want him if he _wasn't_ King of Thieves?"

Rogue found her clothes in a bag nearby and began dressing.

"I think you'd like it _more_. He wouldn't stay idle for long. Maybe he'd join your team. It's not a _crime_ to want to spend time with people you _love_."

"It _is_ if you tell them _not_ to and they do it anyway by impersonating your boss!"

A nurse entered the room and insisted Rogue stay until the doctor could come. With a pointed look at 'Maria', she agreed.

* * *

 _Ithaca_

Raven and the kids were eating dinner when Nil broke into her house. She could've killed him. Paranoid and filthy, he peeked through the blinds and asked about her neighbors.

"Is he _high_?" asked Marie. "That's how my father acted on payday."

"No, he isn't on drugs," Raven answered. "Take a good look, children. This is what happens when you do bad things. You may get away with it, but you'll never know a moment's peace. Go do your homework. I need to speak with him."

She slapped and scolded him, but he wouldn't leave.

"Those men you paid to kill the Cardinals," she said, "must've realized they could easily kill _you_ , too. Being King isn't as easy as it looks, is it?"

"I just need a place to hide tonight. I swear I'll be gone tomorrow."

"If you feel safe with _me_ , who are you hiding from?"

But before he answered, Dr. McCoy called. She wasn't about to put her life on hold for Nil, so she answered: "Hey. Sorry, but I still haven't made my decision."

"Oh! I wasn't calling about that, but thank you for keeping me abreast. No, I was calling to see if you could come by tonight."

"Sorry, but-"

"No, I understand it's late. Don't feel obliged to trouble yourself."

"Maybe tomorrow?"

"I'm available anytime for you."

When she hung up, Nil was looking over her shoulder. It was clear he hadn't slept in days. "Go in my room to shower and shave," she told him. "Sleep on the couch. Don't even _think_ about going in the kids rooms. Marie can kick your ass faster than I can."

"Was that your suitor?"

"It's none of your damn business! Go shower before I call the cops. And I want you gone tomorrow. Understand?"

He left with a smirk. " _Perfectly_."

* * *

 _Manhattan_

"Ah don't understand…"

"I'm afraid we don't, either," the doctor explained to Rogue. "But we've run the tests several times to confirm and… Terrigenesis no longer registers."

"So Ah'm _cured_?"

He cringed, "I can't say for certain. You're an extremely unusual case. Most mutants are either impaired or strengthened by the process. You displayed symptoms of both. At the time, we didn't understand… So I examined your chromosomes."

"And?"

"They've been altered." He paused. "You're no longer _homo superior_. You're something… _else_. Something more controlled. Possibly what evolution _hoped_ for when mutations first occurred. Your DNA may hold the key to curing every mutant of Terrigenesis."

Silence claimed her for several long minutes.

"I'm sure you have many questions-"

"Just one. Can Ah go?"

"But we need to _examine_ -"

"Find yourself another Guinea pig, Doc, Ah've got a job to do."

* * *

 _Ithaca_

When Raven awoke, Nil was already gone. She made breakfast and put the kids on the bus. Rogue called to say she'd left the hospital and would be gone for a while. Raven considered telling her about Hill's demand, but ultimately decided against it. Neither mentioned Remy but when Raven asked if Rogue "needed help" and she replied: "Ain't the first time somethin' like this has happened and it won't be the last. Don't worry about us, sugar, Ah got this."

Alone, she gathered the bathroom cleaning supplies and put on some music when Dr. McCoy dropped by unexpectedly.

"So sorry to intrude like this, but-"

"Not at all! I just turned the coffee off but I can make a fresh pot."

"Better not. I'm too excited already."

"Why?"

He took her hands. "Raven, we have a very narrow window, but I believe Olympus can be saved. If Dr. Brink and I can get you and Davis to an inhabitable planet, I believe Congress will revoke their prior decision."

"…That's a lot of ' _if's_."

"Please! I have tried to be patient with you, but we cannot delay. May I be frank?"

She took a breath, held up her chin and said: "You think I'm a coward. Everyone does."

"Not at all. Why would 'everyone' assume that? Because you've chosen a different path than your parents? 'Everyone' is an idiot and I don't mind saying so. But you, my dear, _you_ -! Students like _you_ are the reason I teach. Engineers like you are the reason I dare imagine the implausible."

"Dr. McCoy…"

"But in all honesty, _women_ like you are the reason men slice off their ears. You don't want to stay with the project because of your personal dislike of Davis Cameron."

She looked away.

"Furthermore," he said, "your distain is unwarranted. Whatever his offenses may be, they are not the personal attacks you seem to perceive. I can only infer that you are subconsciously projecting your own shortcomings to him and punishing him in lieu of yourself. Even if I'm mistaken, everything he knows about you is a _lie_. You are hardly blameless for any misunderstanding."

"He thinks I'm in love with you."

Dr. McCoy dropped her hands as if they'd burned him. Ruffled, he turned away to gather his senses. "Apparently you're not the only one projecting repressed emotions."

"Oh my gosh! He's _in love_ with you?!"

He tried not to laugh at her.

"He's in love with… _me_?"

"I realize he's probably the _last_ person you wish to see right now, but we must move quickly. So much depends on this."

She called Rachel and asked her to meet the kids at the bus stop and maybe fix them dinner. Then they rushed to the campus, which was heavily locked but unguarded and abandoned. Climbing into the shuttle with Cameron was extremely awkward as the vessels were never meant to hold more than one pilot. Cameron, being the frailer of the two, strapped in, and Raven held on to the back of his chair.

"I'm not having an affair with Dr. McCoy," she said.

He squirmed like she'd poured fire ants down his back. "I'm sorry. I... Cannon fodder, right?"

"My husband's dead. I hate saying that, so I don't."

Hank's voice came over the intercom: _"Ten seconds till activation."_

"Becca, I'm so-"

"If you apologize one more time, I'll scream! Are you _incapable_ of saying _anything_ intelligent or meaningful?"

He paused. "Two masses cannot occupy the same space at the same time."

In spite of herself, she laughed. The vessel turned iridescent and then blurred into nothingness.

* * *

 _Australia_

With a start, Remy awoke in a different bed.

"Ah knew you'd wake up once Ah took off your pants," Rogue smiled. Tenderly, she resumed giving him a sponge bath.

"I must be dreamin'."

The door opened and a seven-foot tall woman as golden as King Midas's touch joined them. Large, angelic wings were folded across her back and she carried a bowl of water on her hip.

" _Lifeguard_?" He needn't ask – she was unmistakable. When Storm had formed a team to hunt down Destiny's diaries, Lifeguard was one of the X-Men's new recruits.

"I'm just Heather now. Glad to see you awake. We were worried for a while."

"We?"

"Neal and I tended you until Rogue showed up. Why come to _us_? We haven't spoken in years. How'd you even know we were _here_?"

Rogue turned to him, just as eager for answers.

"Thought it was abandoned."

Heather rolled her eyes. "X-Corporation isn't the giant it used to be, but _some_ of us are still working for mutant rights." She set the bowl of water beside Rogue. "He's all yours. My hubby wouldn't approve of me bathing another man."

"Husband?" Remy asked. "You and Neal-?"

She nodded proudly. "Two boys. _Surfers_ like their uncle." Her smile faltered. "Guess we're _lucky_. They were born before… Well, I'm glad we didn't wait. Call me if you need anything."

The door shut and Remy opened his mouth to speak but Rogue said: "Before you say anything, the M-Pox… My body found a way to cope with it. It's changed my chromosomes. Ah – no one's said _'cured'_ , but Ah'm not sick anymore. Ah can control my powers better than ever. That's how Ah found you, Ah can… Ah can't explain it, it's not _telepathy_ , but Ah can _feel_ you. Always."

He caressed her smooth chest, strong arms, and thick hair. "Anna…"

"There's a chance now," she whispered, "Just a _chance_ we might have a family. _If_ we wanted."

"Not the first time you asked. It's okay t' say y' want it, I ain't gonna run."

"Maybe one day… but Ah couldn't bring a child into this world. Not the way it is now. There's too much Ah wanna change."

"I can steal one from an orphanage like my dad stole me. But I got somethin' t' take care of first."

With a smile, she said: "Beat ya to it."

She'd secured a line to communicate with Fence without alerting SHIELD. He and Darce were somewhere snowy, their faces flushed from icy gusts. Gambit wanted to ask if they'd finally reached Alaska, but didn't dare. He was a man with too few friends to inadvertently endanger them.

"Hey, boss!" Darce waved. "You look good for a man on death's doorstep."

"This ain't easy to say," said Fence, "But we're resigning."

Darce said: "Nil's taken over. Some of the Cardinals tried to stonewall… They're dead now."

"We didn't sign up to kill or be killed."

" _Smart_ ," said Gambit. "He knew y'all would never turn. Hopefully I'll be back soon and y'all won't have t' be lookin' over your shoulder anymore."

They were quiet for a moment. Then, Fence said: "Hopefully. But if not… It was a real pleasure workin' with you. I ain't no damn brownnoser, but you're the best boss I've ever had. I'd follow you anywhere."

"And it's not just _us_ ," she said, "Everyday, more and more people are splintering off. We're _all_ with you."

Gambit smirked. "Appreciate that, but y'all ain't as _dumb_ as y' are _loyal_. If Nil and I stand toe t' toe, my chances are slim. Maybe you'd be better off turnin' me in for the reward. Fifty thousand last I heard."

"Who says we haven't?"

When the call ended, Rogue huffed. "Ah thought they'd be more _help_! Well, Perth's the nearest city. If you can give me the name of their deputy, Ah'll-"

"Anna, stop," he said quietly.

"You ain't callin' it _quits_..?"

"I ain't draggin' half the world into m' mess. What'd you say? _'Don't need 'm to fight my battles'_? Only takes _two_ people t' expel that cretin – you and me."

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…

Author's Notes: Hadn't planned to publish this until tomorrow, but my in-laws are dropping by . so I won't have my laptop for a few days... Neal is "Thunderbird" and Heather is "Lifeguard" from the X-Men X-Treme (first series).


	9. Unending Deadness

"Being dead doesn't make things any easier."  
–Tim Burton

 **Chapter Nine: Unending Deadness**

 _Exoplanet HD40163_

The cloudless sky was the dull color of dried putty; the clay-rich soil, the hue of flesh blood. Oxygen levels were low and water existed only in frozen droplets deep underground, but if plants could adapt, then oxygen would follow. And if water had once been present, perhaps it could return.

"This is your kinda place," Cameron said as they collected soil samples. "No water."

" _Minimal_ water," Raven corrected.

They scaled a large rock and collected samples from it, too. If it held some precious properties, perhaps the planet could be harvested for resources.

"Think anyone's gonna come all this way for _diamonds_?" he remarked.

"Maybe we can trade for earth's water."

"That's very socialist of you. We can't even trade peacefully on Earth."

She surveyed the dry, red dust. "It's very _dead_ , isn't it? So quiet. I've always taken the _vastness_ of life for granted, but here… Not one tree. No birds. Cars. People. _Nothing_. The _deadness_ is unending. But there was _water_ once so there must've been _life_ … What happened?"

"Can't wait to get back to my boat. You should come with me. I'll teach you how to swim."

"I _know_ how-"

"Marie can learn to water ski while Sam drives. See, I've included the kids so now you can't say no."

"' _Can't'_ is not a word for-" She stopped herself just in time. _'Never tell a LeBeau they can't or they will'_ was a common phrase in her childhood home, where stubbornness and patience battled daily. But of course, he didn't know who she really was.

"Not a word for what?" he asked.

"Never mind."

"Look, I know I've been an arse, and you've got every right to hate me. But I think you're beautiful. And brave. And the _smartest_ person I've ever met. When I went to your house, I knew you- you were so happy to see me. It made me _sick_. All this time, I thought I was falling for someone's _wife_ instead of their _widow_. I wanted you to hate me like I hated myself."

"Cameron, I… I'm sorry. Everything you think you know about me is a lie."

"Is this the part where you tell me you're a _dude_?"

She laughed despite her self-loathing. "I was born Rebecca Raven LeBeau. My parents are the X-Men Gambit and Rogue."

"What? No, they're-"

"Just shut up and listen. It's a long story… My mom died when I was six. My dad was gone for years after that tracking down all my brothers and sisters. Oli and I were adopted by our grandmother and I dropped the name 'Becca'. Always hated it. By the time my dad came back, we were grown. Everything I said about my siblings and husband was true… Until eighteen months ago. Our planet was destroyed and I wound up here. If you saw the video of a Rogue look-alike shooting an officer, that was me.

"Dr. McCoy's the only person at Olympus who knows the truth. When I created my legend, I said it was because I didn't want anyone thinking I'd gotten special treatment based on my family connections… But the truth is – I wasn't ready to move on. I wanted to pretend I still had my _life_. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry that happened," he said quietly. "God has a special purpose for you."

How often had she told herself that? For an instant, she thought he'd been eavesdropping on her prayers or had read her mind, but that notion quickly passed. He was capable of neither. The truth, much more upsetting, was that his spirit mirrored hers.

Dr. Brink called: "Ready to pack it up?"

Back on Earth, she and McCoy programed the system to analyze the samples. While the pilots hiked back, the radio was silent except for the sounds of their heavy breathing.

A cell phone McCoy had set on his desk hummed.

"You've got a call," said Dr. Brink.

"It's not mine. Becca asked me to keep an eye on it in the event Rachel should call regarding the children." He looked at the number and since it declared 'Unknown', he didn't touch the device. Somehow, the phone answered itself and activated the speaker.

The unmistakable sounds of a man being tortured pierced the silence. Both doctors flinched and Marjorie felt faint.

"Raven!" the man screamed, "It doesn't work! Why doesn't it work?!"

"Who is this?" Hank asked.

The sounds of terror faded and another man spoke. "Your product is no good. Did you know this when your friend took my money?"

Hank ended the call, stunned silent.

"We should… call the cops or something," said Dr. Brink.

"Marjorie, we're trespassing on a restricted government facility to perform highly dangerous work. The _last_ thing we need right now is to alert the authorities."

"Oh… Right… Tell Raven. I mean, obviously he-"

"She cannot help that man. I doubt anyone can. Her focus needs to be the _mission_." He held her shoulders. "I realize that was _extremely_ upsetting, but Raven would _never_ ally herself with such horrid people. He stole something or betrayed her trust and deserves whatever happens as a result. Try to put it out of your mind. _Their_ lives depend on _us_."

* * *

 _Exoplanet SAO 961  
Day 1_

"Eureka!" Cameron exclaimed when they entered the atmosphere.

Raven didn't want to get too excited, but this planet appeared to have everything required – water, oxygen, plant life, and animals. Specifically, the creatures appeared to be reptilian/avian, like the dinosaurs that once roamed Earth. What lurked beneath the sea? Had mammals yet evolved? Was the entire planet this species-rich, or merely a slice?

They had one hour to find out.

"Let's get a water sample!" urged Cameron, kicking up sand as he sprinted to the sea.

"Be careful!" She screamed. "It could be _poisonous_!"

He ran into the surf and dove into the frothy waves.

"What about _carnivore sea creatures_?!" She shouted.

She heard Marjorie laughing through her head-set. "You're the CP30 of this mission! Should be _you_ out there, but you're riddled with needless anxiety."

"Did you make a _Star Wars_ joke?"

Silence.

"Dr. Brink? Can you hear me?... Olympus, do you read?"

* * *

 _Olympus Project_

The power died and the back-up generators failed. This wasn't as easy as cutting a wire because the consequences were significantly worse than stubbing a toe in the dark. McCoy desperately tried to re-sync the vessel while Brink frantically wrote down the twenty-four digits of their last known location. Neither spoke. Then the screams they'd previously heard over the phone filled the lobby and their blood ran cold.

* * *

 _Outback_

"Came across it accidentally," Remy explained.

Rogue narrowed her eyes. "Ah don't believe you."

"I wasn't a fan of Raven's work, so I did a lil' diggin'. Turns out, Congress has funded almost thirty million dollars to the Olympus Project in the last eighteen months. That's more than they give _NASA_. Don't you think the tax-payers should where their money's goin'?"

"No. If people knew about it, they'd probably donate more than the government takes. _Anything_ to rid the world of mutants."

"That's why I love you," he said with a smile. "Anyways, year and a half, no problems. Suddenly they get out of the lab and into the field, Hill puts 'm under a microscope. A lot of accidents crop up. Always after she makes a surprise visit."

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Afraid so."

"Are they okay?"

He slowly shook his head.

She cursed Mystique under her breath.

"Carter's death pissed people off," he continued. "Got 'm t' talk. I got 'm to do _more_ than talk. Parts of the campus require a Clearance Level 13 to enter."

" _Clearance Level 13?_ That's like a _unicorn_ , no such thing."

"Congress stopped funding and now Hill's in a hurry to fill it with concrete."

"That's where Momma's holdin' her!" She gasped. "Remy… You've saved her life. My god, with Mystique in charge of SHIELD, you might've saved hundreds, _thousands_ of lives."

"Too late to save Tad Carter. And all the Cardinals who _supported_ me."

"Don't dismiss this! No one asked you to search or rescue her."

"I'm in trouble and so is she. We're gonna help each other. I wake her up, she arrests Nil."

She held his face in her hands and looked deep in his eyes. "You found her because you're nosy and alert. You're going to rescue her because you can. You're as _good_ a man as Ah've ever known."

"Anna, stop." He pulled away, miserable.

"Why is that so hard to hear?"

"You don't know who I really am…"

"Shut the eff up. Ah _do_ know you and Ah love you anyway. Been as patient with you as Ah can be, but Ah'm sick of hearin' you trash-talk my husband. Now grab your damn crutch before Ah beat you with it. We've got work to do."

* * *

 _Exoplanet SAO 961  
Day 3_

" _I told you_ it was a bad idea!" Raven flew back to the safety of the shore with Cameron in her arms.

Just below the surface, something massive followed. It was waiting for them to fall into its clutches once more. The giant sea creature had tentacles and teeth and _nearly_ had him on the dinner table before she rescued him.

"You think _everything's_ a bad idea!" he complained. "Bound to be right _some_ time."

She set him on the sand and examined his wounds. "You'll live… I _should've_ let you die."

"Harsh."

"Not compared to the alternative."

"You're scared, mate, I get it, but they're _looking_ for us."

"It's not like waiting for your phone signal to return. Quantum physics linked our vessel, our very _DNA_ with the nuts and bolts back home. That's how we could communicate _instantly_. That's how we never lost any time. Do you realize we're losing _days_ back home for every _hour_ here? We had a tether keeping us safe and now it's _gone_. Trying to get it back… It'll take longer than our whole lives."

His sun-kissed face crumpled with concern. "Time's relative, right?"

"I'm shocked you know that."

"Before they put me in a tin can, they made me sit through some classes. Didn't just toss me a banana every time I pushed the red button. I know the farther one gets from the sun, the slower time moves. But we're not in _space_. Not really. This planet has a sun, too. Is it possible we're losing days while time stands still on Earth? Maybe the signal from their end hasn't even broken yet."

"Anything is _possible_ , but that's highly _improbable_."

He looked up to the cerulean sky. "You should go. Take the vessel back up and get as far as you can. When you run out of fuel, keep going. Eventually you'll find a Shi'ar port or something, and they can teleport you back home."

"I won't leave you."

"I'll never survive out there, but I can _here_. And I've got nothing to go back for, but you've got your kids."

"Statistically, we stand a better chance of survival if we stay together. People are good like that, we build each other up. Besides… I think you make me a better person. And if you're lucky enough to find that, you don't just throw it away."

* * *

 _Olympus Project_

"We know you're here! All we want is the key to activate the process. Don't have it? That's fine. Not for your friend here, he's gonna die. But we got no qualms with you, sweetheart. All we want's the key."

Brink and McCoy hid in the observation room. He took her trembling hand and whispered: "I'll hold them off. Escape through the fire exit and call for help. Whatever happens, Marjorie, you _must_ come back. You're the only hope our pilots have."

Her pale face frantically shook with denial.

"I've been in countless fights. They won't end here. Go. And focus on getting them home, not my welfare."

…

 _To Be Continued…_

…


	10. Wings and Muscle

**Author's Notes:** This chapter contains a semi-graphic love scene. However, I've decided it doesn't warrant an increased rating.

"And as I'm striving to change the world, I will be happy."  
-Sam Berns

 **Chapter Ten: Wings and Muscle**

 _Ithaca_

The Olympus Project Campus was protected against teleportation. Gambit and Rogue arrived as near as possible – five miles down the freeway. A semi-truck barreled towards them, horn screaming. She snatched him close and shot up fast enough to break the sound barrier.

"So much for _stealth_ ," he complained, rubbing his ears.

"Quick and dirty. That's me."

He directed her to an unassuming, unmarked grey building. Evergreens lined a vacant parking lot.

"You _sure_ this is it?" she asked. "They don't even have barbedAHHH!"

They dropped from the sky. Rogue kicked helplessly at the air, desperately trying to regain flight. They locked arms and she spun around so he was looking down at her.

"Kick me!" she said.

With both feet, he kicked her hard enough to slow his momentum while she slammed into the pavement. The fall knocked her over. He could read the bumper stickers now. She'd never get up in time! He closed his eyes and waited for the hard, unforgiving smack, but landed instead in her arms. Luckily, she'd retained her strength, and her quick thinking had saved them both.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"Wish Ah knew, but we don't have time to find out." Still holding him, she sprinted across the parking lot.

"Lemme down! I can walk!" he complained.

"But you can't _run_."

She crashed through the bullet-proof window and dashed past the dark and dead security check-point. The lobby opened like an abandoned cathedral, every turn frustratingly unmarked. If Simon Hall had given him a set of _blueprints_ , Gambit would've known _exactly_ which way to go, but he was literally grasping in the dark. Worse, he didn't hear any alarms. Those cheap little security systems had obnoxiously loud alarms, which police were keen to quiet upon arrival. But a silent warning preceded a silent attack.

"Which way?"

He looked around. "This place ain't big enough. There's more underground. Gotta-"

The hairs on his neck stood. Instinctively, he dodged aside as a bolt of lightning shot overhead. Rogue, of course, didn't flinch, but stood with her arms crossed as the currents zapped around her. She recognized her attacker from the Inn in Vaduz.

"Y'all never learn, do you?"

"Chere, wait!" he shouted too late.

She sprinted to the shooter, fists ready. When he blasted another bolt, she ducked down sucker-punched his stomach. The one-eyed man collapsed with a groan, but another leapt on her back, slamming her to the floor. The insectoid assailant pelted a flurry of stingers through her skin. Her back arched sharply as a blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the lobby.

Somehow, they'd found a way to negate mutant abilities. That's why she'd lost the ability to fly. Either the method required specific input – they had to know what power to suppress – or they were trying to create a false sense of security. Either way, Gambit knew he couldn't resort to blowing things up. Not while he had other options.

He tackled Rogue's attacker and they slid across the floor. Locked together, Gambit managed to avoid the stingers and lay a few good hits. He saw a cloaked man standing over Rogue, but he couldn't shake bug-man before she emitted a painful groan and curled into the fetal position.

" _Rogue!_ "

Plasma blasts filled the lobby and someone shouted: "Shit! Avengers!"

The terrorists retreated and Gambit went to her. Trembling, she pushed him away. "Ah'm… fine…"

Cable, Human Torch, and Synapse stepped over debris to get a closer look.

"Need a medic?" Cable asked.

She shook her head, but her face was drawn tight with pain. Then the stingers fell from her back and the wounds closed. Relieved, she finally exhaled. An accelerated healing factor wasn't part of her invincible package, and she hadn't recently absorbed anyone who could. Occasionally, she'd been able to pull forward long-lost absorptions.

"Can you access old borrows?" asked Gambit. "'Cause we could really use a few more hands."

"It's not a _power_ ," she said.

"Then what is it?"

"Ah'm sorry, but we don't have _time_ for this. We don't know what we're up against. They might be goin' for reinforcements. Nathan, how long before back-up arrives?"

"Three minutes. They're comin' for _you_."

She tensed. "Y'all here to take me in?"

"No," Johnny answered, "We're here because we _care_."

Remy cut his words with a sharp glare.

Synapse said: "You've got good instinct even under fire. Whatever you're up against, we're _with_ you."

With pride shinning in her emerald eyes, Rogue said: "Somewhere in this building, Maria Hill is being held in stasis. Mystique assumed her identity. Ah have no idea if those terrorists were sent by her to destroy or remove Hill, but we need to _secure_ the facility and _locate_ Hill _before_ re-enforcements arrive."

Raised voices and gunfire drew them down the hall. A set of double doors opened to a large, underground hanger. Oddly enough, work lights were on, but the hanger was empty. They stood level with the observation deck and through a locked plexiglass door saw a woman open fire on the one-eyed lightning shooter. Behind her, Hank slammed the insect-man into the wall. He received a face full of stingers, and ferociously slashed him through the door. Black, buggy eyes swam in blood, but Cable dragged him aside and secured his hands.

"Bless my lucky stars!" Hank said, running his hands over his raised fur. "I heard them lament that the Avengers had arrived and seized the opportunity to escape!"

"Excuse me," said his female companion, "But we need to secure _these_." Her gun was aimed firmly at three bleeding men.

Nil was among them: fading in and out of consciousness.

Gambit yanked him by the collar. "Karma's _beaten_ me, I see. Gonna tell me why you're here? or make me _guess_? No one's gonna notice a few extra bruises."

"Gambit, stop!" said Rogue. She turned and asked Hank, "Where's Hill?"

"Beg pardon?"

Gambit called over his shoulder, "We're lookin' for a lonely, nearly inaccessible room. Possibly off the map. Any ideas?"

The doctors exchanged a look. Hank said: "The cage. I'll accompany you. Dr. Brink's needed here to re-establish our systems as quickly as possible."

Dr. Brink said: "If anyone's an electrician or engineer, I could use help with the machines."

"I can…" Nil said.

" _L'enfer!"_

They heard voices call out and doors were kicked open. SHIELD had arrived.

" _Now_ , Cajun!" Rogue snapped.

Hank grabbed Gambit's arm. "Raven's life may depend upon his assistance."

Gambit threw him aside. "He'd only _slow_ us anyway."

* * *

 _Exoplanet SAO 961  
Day 7_

The planet had turned against them. Most of the plants weren't edible and the edible ones weren't filling. Most animals were carnivores, and although some were content to scavenge, others were aggressively hunting them. Cameron had been first to realize it. He suspected they were being watched for ambush, so they changed camp locations. The next morning, they found their abandoned make-shift shelter tattered.

But they were only postponing the inevitable. He wasn't getting enough calories to withstand the stress of near-constant exposure. Every day, his body withered. Eventually, his mind would go, too.

One morning, she woke up and he was gone. A search of the area led her to the seaside cliffs, where a snapped rope dangled from an outstretched tree. He'd hanged himself. But she knew the tide was high. If the rope broke before his neck, he might've survived the fall into the sea.

The goddamn ocean.

She dove in. At the apex of sea and land, a violent joining raged day and night. She sank beneath the angry waves to the jagged, unstable rocks and felt around for his body. She couldn't see; could barely keep her bearings. Was she even _searching_? Or merely swaying back and forth? When she tried to emerge, her head hit rock. She crawled against the current and it suddenly changed direction, flipping and pulling her along. Again, she tried to emerge and struck against something hard. She tried the other way and hit rock again. Fighting the urge to panic, she placed a hand on each wall and followed it until she finally broke the surf.

She'd gotten sucked into a cave under the cliffs. The waves continued hammering, but worse, she was in the company of sea predators. Massive shadows circled ominously, but she could see daylight and safety. She planned to shoot off like a missile. Then she saw Cameron's limp body dancing over the rapids. She scooped him out of the jaws of the shadows and flew back to land.

While compressing his chest, she noticed how _clean_ his neck was. Either he tied a lousy noose… or the whole thing had been a set-up.

His body coughed up handfuls of water and tremored in her protective arms.

"What the hell's going on?" she asked.

He groaned miserably. Despair resounded on every note. "You were supposed to think I'd died. You were _supposed_ to _leave_!"

"But you didn't try to commit suicide."

"I couldn't…"

"How'd you wind up in the water?"

"I didn't get far before you found the rope. I saw you go in… You didn't come back out."

"You _know_ I'm invincible."

"I knew you were frightened," he smiled weakly. "If my _death_ scared you more than the _ocean_ , you must really… _care_. I couldn't hurt you like that."

She pressed her lips to his and felt him warmly respond. Merciful Mary, none of this was supposed to happen! He was a dumbass and she was unavailable. After she learned she'd never have children of her own, she'd written off marriage and jumped into motherhood. Sam and Marie needed so much – had _suffered_ so much – that she determined never to bring a step-anything around. Good-time Charlies like Nil were enough to slate her physical needs, but she'd steeled her heart against romance. Yet, here it was when she no longer wanted it.

"I love you," she said.

His eyes searched hers. "I've loved you since that day on the launch pad. You were _furious_. Barking at a half-dozen blokes like we were kids! And I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the world. Time stopped. Just like in the movies. I fell for you right there."

Speechless, she kissed him again. His lips were parched; his skin, dry. When she stroked his body, bones rose through muscle, but she didn't care how ugly he appeared. She didn't even see it. Behind his wiry yellow hair were blue eyes burning with passion, and his chest held a heart that beat for her. Her soft and supple body was a gift she gladly laid over him.

"Wait!" he gasped and held her at arm's length. "Let's not… do anything… we'll regret."

She gently caressed his fingers biting her biceps. "You don't want to?"

He shut his eyes and exhaled a ragged breath. " _God_ , I want to, but… We can't get pregnant. That'd be as good as murder."

"I'll never have a baby of my own."

His blue eyes clouded with conflict that only resolved when she kissed him again. Guilt nagged her. He had precious little energy and she was stealing it.

"Lay back and let me do the heavy lifting," she said.

His eyes flashed. "Not even if it kills me!"

His lips ran down her neck to her breasts. Long-buried euphoria erupted when his fingers parted her thighs. Others had been less clumsy, more skilled – but that physical pleasure was nothing compared to the pure, soul-shattering ecstasy of uniting two hearts. He was so touchingly eager to please her that she felt a little guilty for not climaxing sooner.

"Gonna take your pants off now?" she asked. "Or do you wanna come in your drawers?"

"Been a while since I've done this… _al naturale_. Dunno how long I can last."

"It's not a _marathon_." Her eyes were fixated on his zipper and widened when his erection finally sprang out. "Holy-! Is that gonna _fit_?"

If he was flattered or if he'd heard it before, he gave no indication. He simply nodded. "There's positions I've found to make it easier. Would you – er, turn around?"

"On my hands and knees?"

He nodded. "You'll need the space. Go as deep as you're comfortable and I'll know how far to go. I won't force it."

"I'm _invincible_."

"All the same… Nothing's worse than hurting someone who trusts you."

She thought it would be less intimate, but it wasn't. When he entered her, a bolt of pleasure shot through them and she opened like a flower for him. His mouth begged her to slow down, but his body begged for more. His knees spread hers further and further apart and his weary fingertips clung to her waist. She tried to please both. In short order, her thighs caressed his, although it felt like her stomach was being forced into her chest. As long as she moved with the excruciatingly wonderful slowness he demanded, it wasn't painful.

She wondered who'd taught him this; if he was thinking of that faceless woman now.

"Oh god, Becks," he groaned, "Where have you _been_ all my life?"

His legs gave out and she turned around, thinking he'd finished. He was exhausted but not spent.

"Lay down," she said, crawling over him. Again, she slid down with agonizing patience. His fatigue and worry melted away, replaced by overwhelming pleasure. He couldn't close his mouth or open his eyes and whispered "slow down, slow down", which she blithely ignored. He felt too good.

"Don't wanna come yet…" he said. "Don't make me."

Drunk on her own power, she sped up. "Come for me."

Something in him snapped. He sat up, took her in his arms, and for the first time, thrust into her. At last, the overwhelming joy washed over her. Two or three strokes from his almost freakishly long member were all she needed. She finished and felt warm satisfaction flush over her when he filled her with his seed. If she didn't love him before, she certainly did now.

* * *

 _The Cage  
Olympus Project Campus_

"What _is_ this place, Beast?" asked Rogue, carrying Gambit to keep pace while Hank sprinted on all fours.

"You _must_ know or you _wouldn't_ have come. A pilot lost his life recently and our program was deemed too _dangerous_. I _hoped_ that if we uncovered some spectacular find, Congress would relent. But now…" He trailed off sadly.

"What about the terrorists?" she asked.

"Somehow, they're connected to Raven. We – she and I were not as _vigilant_ as we should have been. We often discussed our work digitally. _Someone_ was listening, stole our data, and attempted to _sell_ it as a weapon. What they failed to know – because I _myself_ didn't realize – was that the process requires extremely select operators. They tracked Raven's mobile phone here. As _brutes_ often do, they sought to obtain their goal through _force_!"

At the lowest level, Hank led them through a dark office to a dark lab and then to a sealed door.

"Care to enlighten me?" he asked, "Or shall we all be surprised?"

"Can't ya open it?" asked Rogue.

"No. No one can. We were led to believe this area was used for storage or waste, but no one knew for certain. This is _undoubtedly_ the place for secrets. But, Rogue, you should be able to tear it down."

"Sorry, Beast, they took my wings _and_ muscle."

Gambit examined the hinges. "Terrorists ain't the only ones who know… Mystique found out, too. Impersonated the one person powerful enough t' shut y'all down. And honestly, I'd be happy to let her, but she _also_ thinks Rogue would be happier with a husband in the pen. That ain't true." He charged the door and they all took cover as it exploded.

Hank's yellow eyes darted between them and a smile rose. "Glad tidings have been in such short supply lately! Congratulations, my friends."

SHIELD agents crashed through the office.

"Make haste! I'll detain them while I can." Hank ran towards their flashlights while Gambit and Rogue rushed away.

His massive, friendly frame hardly slowed the steady stream of agents. They entered the laboratory to find Gambit and Rogue waiting, holding a soaking wet Maria Hill between them. Months of stasis left her body struggling to stand and breathe, but she managed to say: " _Kill… Mystique…"_

* * *

 _Observation Deck  
Olympus Project Campus_

Nil used his technomancy to fly through possible coordinates at light-speed. Starting near the latest sighting, he eventually received a ping. For a heartbeat, he considered by-passing. He could've left her to the cold, empty embrace of deep space for eternity. Who would ever know?

"Located," he told Dr. Brink.

She immediately locked onto the vessel and called: "Cameron, Daumier, this is Olympus. Do you read?"

After several attempts, Raven answered: "Olympus?! Oh, it's so _great_ to hear you! We thought you'd given up!"

"Never, dear," said Dr. Brink, "We're a _team_. Ready for transport?"

"Negative. Stand by."

They heard Raven rushing. She laughed and chatted happily – he'd never heard her sound like that. Almost like a _child_. Then he heard a man's voice and his heart dropped. They said nothing profound or profane, but he knew.

"Olympus, this is Daumier. We're ready for transport."

"Transport in-"

The double doors flew open and SHIELD agents filled the walkway.

"Proceed quickly," Nil told Dr. Brink, "I will explain in terms their simple minds can grasp." He walked onto the walkway with his hands lifted. "Ladies, gentlemen-"

"On your knees!" they barked.

"-children of all ages. Prepare to witness the likes of which you've never seen!"

" _On the ground!"_

"Clearance code alpha-kilo-hector-alpha-ten. The criminals are secured, I assure you."

Someone at the back called: "His code's legit."

Their eager guns were lowered to his smug satisfaction. On the hanger below, the air hummed and filled with shimmering colors which pulled together to form a spaceship as large as a submarine. Everyone turned in wonder. No one saw the one-eyed man escape from his cuffs. His shout: _"Judas!"_ faded in the windstorm. A lightning bolt struck Nil square between the shoulders and he felt pain he'd never imagined – every nerve twisted, smashed, thrown in acid and then burned all at once. He fell over the railing to the cement floor below.

Raven and Cameron scrambled out, confused by the riot on the walkway and alarmed by the injured man.

"We need a medic!" she screamed to whoever would listen.

Kneeling, she pushed the inky curls from his face and gasped. "Nil?! What the hell are you doing here?"

If he could've moved, he would've held her hand to his cheek a little longer, but she ethereally brushed over him like the scent of his mother's perfume on her pearl necklace.

"Never seen…" he wheezed, "…you so… happy…"

"Don't talk. Just breathe. _We need a medic!_ "

"Nice to… see… even if… not for me…"

Pain and panic peaked in crimson bubbles around his mouth, but once he reached the summit, he flew above it and left earthly pains behind. Raven saw the light leave his eyes. It was a look she knew well, although accepting the deceased person's sorrows was never an easy task. If anything, the burden grew harder to bear with each passing.

Cameron laid a lab coat over the man and helped Raven to stand. "Come on. We can't help him."

…

 _To Be Concluded…_

…


	11. Settling Down

"If you find someone you love in life, then you must hang on to it."  
-Diana, Princess of Wales

 **Chapter Eleven: Settling Down**

 _Three Weeks Later…  
Ithaca_

Gambit gripped the cliff's edge with one hand.

"Hold on, Remy!" cried Rogue. "Ah'm comin'!"

His body twisted, dangling perilously. "I can't hold on!"

"Don't let go!"

Raven approached the rock wall with her arms cross. "If you guys aren't gonna take this seriously, you can leave."

"Ah'm slippin'!" Rogue slid face-first over the ledge. At the last moment, she caught herself with one hand and yelled: " _Heeellllp!_ "

"Looks like we're _both_ in dire straits," said Gambit. Turning to Raven, he said: "Who y' gonna save? Only got time for one."

Rogue said: "Me, of course! You're forever gettin' shot or breakin' a bone. _Ah_ , on the other hand-"

"Yes, but just think of all the _sass_ you'll get," he said. "And do you _honestly_ think she'll let _you_ be in charge?"

"He has a point," said Raven.

Rogue gasped. "Ah gave you my _jacket_!"

"I took a _bullet_ for you!" he said. "We're runnin' out of time, she'll be dead in a second, forget about her!"

" _Unbelievable_." A smile cracked Raven's face. "I love you both _equally_."

She'd been so blue since Nil's death, and the fallout hadn't brought much closure. His hijacking of Olympus convinced Hill – the _real_ Hill – that the program _shouldn't_ continue. Then a woman claiming to be his wife blamed Raven for his demise and refused to admit her to the funeral or even say where he was buried. She and Nil shared no mutual friends, so she had no one to grieve with. Instead, she cried alone at night while Marie and Sam listened at her door, anxious and unsure. Healing Hands had been the one bright spot of her life.

A limo pulled into the parking lot and Raven checked her watch. "That must be Mr. Stark. _Cripes_ , he's early! Can you guys finish setting up? I've gotta butter up this prima donna."

She reached his vehicle as he shut the door and waved off the driver. Apologies spilled out: "Thank you so much for coming, but we don't have the track ready yet. Ryden and his parents aren't due for another thirty minutes and the photographer-"

"Do I make you _nervous_?" He smiled. "Don't be nervous. Walk with me."

She followed him around the rustic wooden fence that surrounded the property. Military personnel usually trained here, but she'd acquired it for the day at no cost. Like Remy, she seemed to have a knack for bringing out generosity in others.

"I'm _offended_ you waited so long to ask me," he said. "Do kids not like Iron Man anymore?"

"I know you're a very busy man."

"You didn't answer my question."

"And Avengers have _plenty_ of good press. _Mutants_ , on the other hand-"

"I thought this was about the kids, not PR."

"It is."

"I love kids. Love charities. They're tax-deductible. _More_ money I can give _you_ means _less_ money I give _Uncle Sam_. You should call me more often."

She blushed. "Thank you. I will."

"Good. Because I'm considering buying you out."

"…Why?"

"I told you, it's a tax deduction."

"No. _Really_."

"Don't worry about that. I like your set-up, you can keep doin' what you do. But you'll get full medical and I'll pick up your school bill, too. What's Cornell cost for a year? A hundred?" He shrugged. "I've got a driveway in Wisconsin that costs more."

She looked across the field to the obstacle course, where Rogue and Gambit were fencing with the wooden rods they were supposed to be setting up.

" _Maria Hill_ put you up to this, didn't she? Gambit saved her life so she wants leverage on him." She shook her head furiously. "That's probably why she let me onto Olympus in the _first place_!"

"You're a lot more _cynical_ than I expected."

"Sorry. It's been a rough couple of weeks…"

"You're a brilliant engineer. And you're imaginative. You know what you want and you make it happen. Every week, you get to help make dreams come true. I wanna do that for you. Don't worry about the politics - just be grateful they're on your side."

* * *

 _Meeting of the Cardinal Thieves_

"Our attempts to rejoin with Nil's inner circle have been unsuccessful."

Gambit nodded. "Any luck findin' his grave?"

"With all due respect, aren't the _living_ more important? Certainly you don't suspect that he's still _alive_..? You _witnessed_ his death."

"I don't like _loose ends_."

"Speaking of-" Jean-Luc folded his hands. " _Denmark_ was eventful."

He couldn't completely smother a smile. "I wanna bring her into the fold. Before y' say no, hear me out. She's gonna see things. We _live_ together, I can't hide everything. Y' know _Hill's_ gonna play her. If she trusts Hill more than she trusts me, that's a problem for all of us. Besides, she ain't the first."

"We've had _associates_ , yes, but they never know more than they should. You're asking Council approval for _pillow talk_. Why should _we_ trust _her_?"

"Don't. Trust _me_. If you've ever got your back against the wall, she's someone y' want in your corner. Don't wait till it's too late."

* * *

 _Mid-Town Manhattan_

"So what's the verdict, Hank?" Rogue asked as she pulled her jacket on.

"I'm cautiously optimistic but it appears you've _evolved_."

"' _Cautious'_? Never heard that word."

" _Homo sapien superior_ if I'm correct. Only a handful of cases have been documented, so I'd like to run more tests when you're available. But the evidence supports that hypothesis. Imagine every cell is a solider in your army. Until now, they've been following their own orders instinctively. But now you have the power to redirect them at will. You're no longer limited by _homo sapiens_ shortcomings _or_ locked into _homo superior's_ abnormalities. You draw upon the strengths of both, apparently as needed. Of course, I strongly urge you to exercise _restraint_ in your line of work until this is confirmed."

She raised a skeptical brow. "Not gonna _tattle_ on me, are you?"

"Doctor-patient confidentiality. I'm flattered you came to me instead of SHIELD."

"You left the Agency?"

"I submitted my notice." He removed his glasses and cleaned them. "Despite my most impassioned pleas, Deputy Hill decided _not_ to proceed with the Olympus Project. I believe she feels I have been… _too hasty_. Perhaps _reckless_ with resources."

"So what now? Are you gonna get the band back together? Smoke dope and write bad poetry?"

He smirked. "Perhaps. And yourself? How shall you exercise your new lease on life?"

"Same way Ah spent the old one – flyin' and pickin' fights."

* * *

 _Upper West Side_

At four in the morning, one of the cats hit the floor and slinked out. The noise disturbed Rogue enough that she reached for Remy – and realized he wasn't there. She followed Lucifer and found Remy working in the living room.

"Don't ya ever sleep?" she asked.

"That's changin' your tune. _Merde_ , I didn't realize how late it was… I'll come t' bed."

"Spyin' on SHIELD?"

" _Non_ , don't have to. _You_ tell me all I need."

"Well, as long as ya ain't spyin', can ya tell me if they found Mystique?"

He turned off his laptop. "Can't believe Hill didn't put you on the task force."

"She doesn't trust my _judgement_ ," she said as they settled under the covers.

"I'm sorry."

Lucifer galloped around the living room and dove under the couch. If he kept it up, he'd get his brothers excited, too, and then they'd get _no_ sleep.

"Ah'm puttin' him out," she sighed.

"Anna," he touched her arm. "I really am sorry that bein' married t' me cost you opportunities."

His face crinkled with guilt, and although it made her uncomfortable, she didn't respond with her characteristic sass. He would've taken it as a kind admonishment when she resented his martyr-complex, not him. Strange that they'd been together for so long and yet _they_ still required so much _work_. Love, she decided, wasn't a two-step dance learned once and repeated ever after. It was an ocean, never to be contained or controlled. With no beginning and no end, it had raised bacteria into life while dragging strong men to early graves.

"Ah thought Ah knew who you were. But you're always gonna have secrets. You're a good man, Remy, despite all the _stupid_ choices you've made. The more Ah learn about you, the more Ah believe that. Ah'll never regret bein' with you. Whatever the cost."

* * *

 _Ithaca_

" _Mon Dieu_ , it's… _Stepford_."

Rogue and Gambit surveyed the neighborhood from his quietly coasting motorcycle. Another blistering summer day was dying. In the warm twilight, school kids rode home on bikes, and middle-aged couples walked tiny dogs. Heavy-bellied men they'd never met waved as they drove past.

Raven's pastel vinyl house was the center of activity. Coolers full of ice and beer cans sat atop the freshly-cut lawn, and a banner declaring _"congratulations!"_ hung across the garage door. Apparently, engagements were now considered an accomplishment worthy of celebrating. The man at the grill, a trim, sun-kissed blond, wiped his hands on his 'Planet Express' apron and stepped out of the smoke.

"Slipstream?" Rogue gasped. "Well, Ah'll be! _Thought_ your name sounded familiar."

He smiled. "Come on back, the X-crew's all here."

Some staff from X-Haven, Dr. McCoy, the Grey siblings, and Heather, Neal and their boys occupied half the back yard. Everyone else came with a steady stream of casserole dishes and large gift bags that wept glitter and waved tissue paper like handkerchiefs at a funeral.

Remy leaned towards Rachel and asked: "Were we supposed to _bring_ something?"

"I, _too_ , am a stranger to these odd middle-class customs."

"Oh, right…"

Storm handed him a cold, dewy beer bottle. The months since Cyclops's death had aged her several years, but she managed a bright smile for her friends.

"Glad t' see y', Stormy," said Remy, twisting off the cap. "Didn't think y' ever took a day off."

She picked up another for Rogue, who casually declined. With a shrug, the Wind Rider twisted the cap and asked, "Is it strange to see your could've-been child marry before you? Be honest."

Remy felt half his mouth tip upward and when he looked to his wife, she looked guilty as sin. He took a long swig. One innocent question and a silent exchange had revealed the whole conspiracy. Apparently, everyone had overheard their friendly, tangled conversation, and now stood dumb-struck.

Raven punched his arm. "And you didn't _say_ anything?!"

"When?" asked Rachel.

"Back in Denmark," Rogue replied. "Ah thought Ah was dyin' and didn't wanna wake up in a robot. Ah trust y'all with my _life_ , but _Remy_ Ah trust with my _death_."

"Y'all didn't miss anything," said Remy. "We went fishin' afterwards."

Raven punched Rogue's arm. "And you didn't _say_ anything?!"

"We were gonna wait till _after_ your party. Ah know how twisted your panties get when we don't stick to your script!"

Offended, her mouth opened and shut silently. Eventually, Rachel put her arm around Raven and complimented her hair. Content to change the subject, they abruptly slipped away.

Storm asked Rogue, "Did he get you a ring?"

"Yeah but Ah forgot it."

"She never wears it," he added. "Might as well carry a _picture_ of it."

A medley of 80s pop music accompanied the consumption of over-cooked meats, potato chips, Jell-O salads and bite-sized cupcakes. The two clans struggled to mingle until a hefty woman bellowed: "I wasn't crazy about it at first. I thought, 'mutants? What's this neighborhood come to?' But then my grandbaby told me, she said, 'Nana, they're just _people_. And they gotta right to be here.' She was right. As long as the yard's clean and the house is kept, I've got no right to complain."

A man quickly complimented Davis on the quality of his grass and Remy nearly laughed. But when several more joined the conversation about fertilizer and weather that lasted through _two hot dogs_ , he realized lawns were sacred in suburbia.

On occasions such as this, he wondered what his life would've been like if Jean-Luc hadn't taken him. Would he be soft around the center? Would his worries stretch no further than the quality of his grass and the opinions of his neighbors? Where would Rogue factor in? Or Raven? Would he sneer at them from afar or envy their incredible power? Would he still be happy if he'd been who he _should_ have been – a nobody? Deep down, he knew he was worse than insignificant. Why else would his birth parents have thrown him away?

Rogue laced her fingers with his. "Hey. Where'd you go?"

Physically, he never left, but she saw poignant sorrow flood his eyes. He shook his head but couldn't shake his ugly thoughts.

"Are you sorry people know?" she asked quietly.

"About us? Anna, _you're_ the one who didn't wanna say anything."

"Ah know," she said quickly and looked away.

He could've left her alone with her guilt, confused and ashamed. But as much as he enjoyed his secrets, he preferred to make her happy.

"I ain't the least bit sorry it got out," he confided. "Just thinkin'… This _should've_ been me. All the bad I've done would never be. But then we wouldn't be together."

"Why d'ya _think_ like that?"

"Maybe it's genetic."

"Well, stop it! Jesus! Ah love you bein' a thief who drives me crazy. Why _wouldn't_ Ah love you for bein' dull?"

"Dunno why you love me at all."

"Times like this, me neither!"

"Wanna divorce me so we can get married again?"

"Don't _tempt_ me!"

Beneath paper lanterns, they all heard the tale of Davis's proposal. He'd included Sam and Marie on the surprise, and dropped to one knee before presenting her with the world's ugliest ring. Apparently, it had belonged to his late foster mother, who sadly passed away a month before the couple met, but that didn't make it any prettier. Rose-gold with tiny yellow diamonds half-way around. Rogue's initial thought was _'I would've said no!'_ And every time she had to lie about liking it, she felt the truth slipping out more and more. Even Heather, Dave's sister, looked aside and slyly said: "It never would've fit _me_ …"

But watching Raven talk about her past despairs and present joy, it was evident that the ring – like everything about Davis – pleased her.

The happy couple stood with their arms around each other's waists and waved as Gambit's bike backed out of the drive-way. Soon, the flowers would all bloom and Raven was worried they'd miss it. The city had too much cement. She leaned to her fiancé and asked, "Do you think they'll ever settle down?"

Rogue waved good-bye and asked her husband, "Oh my god! What kinda _life_ is that?!"

Remy smiled, "Ain't for us…"

"…But they seem happy," Cameron said, kissing her brow.

…

 _The End._

…

 **Author's Notes:** Confession time… I hadn't planned for Gambit and Rogue to get married. Even though it's what I wanted, I know loads of people who stay together forever and never tie the knot. That's what I was aiming for – those oddballs. We all know 'm. Then life happened. Some family friends of mine (two gay men) have been together since the '60s, and since the marriage equality law passed here in the States, I asked everyone "hey, you think so-and-so will get married now?" And everyone laughed at me. Said "never in a million years!" Eventually, it got back to them "isn't Kat so funny!" And they confessed to actually being married for months. I thought since they got their happy ending, Rogue and Gambit should, too! Thanks to everyone for reading and if you enjoyed, please leave a review.


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